Love and Betrayal
by Alleniah-Black
Summary: Hermione sets off on an impossible mission and is captured by Voldemort. She meets friends and enemies in Voldemort's stronghold and she fights to save her life and end the war, can she succeed?
1. Summer Vacation

Love and Betrayal

Summary: "Ginny!" Hermione called. Someone grabbed her from behind, pulling her close. "I wouldn't yell.." Hermione/Voldermort

Chapter 1: Summer Vacation

Hermione smiled when she saw the familiar sight of the Burrow kitchen. Mrs. Weasley immediately fell on her with a hug and asking if she ate. Hermione laughed Mrs. Weasley's concerns as she tried to dust off her shirt which turned out to be a fruitless task.

"Where are the others?"

"Outside dear."

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley!"

"Finally!" came the voice of Ginny Weasley. "I'm so glad you're here. Harry and Ron are a complete bore. I've been waiting for ages for you to arrive," Ginny said.

Hermione laughed as she nodded in agreement. After growing closer to Ginny, she felt more of a need for female companionship. Not, of course, that she didn't love Harry and Ron any less, but they were...well, men.

"Come on, before Harry and Ron find us. I want to be able to talk to you," Ginny said. She grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her up to her room. Hermione was surprised to see the name on the door. Instead of 'Ginny Weasley', it read 'Ginevra Weasley'.

Ginny saw her staring. "Oh, I go by Ginevra now. I think Ginny is too childish," Ginny replied. Hermione nodded and followed Ginny into the room. Ginny closed the door and locked it, no magic.

Ginny then turned to look at Hermione. "You know Hermione, your hair looks nice," Ginny said. "What did you do?" she added.

Hermione shrugged. "I got it cut differently. My mum's got this hairdresser who is able to work wonders on your hair. It helps with the bushiness, but it still frizzes. I don't care either way though."

"Well, whatever he did was great. He is a muggle right?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, my mum is a muggle, so of course her hairdresser would be. But why did you bring me up here. We usually don't talk about such trivial things as hair and how we look," Hermione said, clearly suspicious.

"Um," Ginny began uncomfortably as she wrung her hands, "I've been dating Draco Malfoy for a little over a year."

Hermione blinked at her once, then twice. Her mind refused to wrap around what Ginny was telling her. "Draco Malfoy?" she repeated, "He has blonde hair and was the biggest prick at Hogwarts?"

"He's not a prick."

"Right, and it's very normal to regularly insult people," Hermione rolled her eyes then sobered, "Ginny, you know Ron and the others won't take this well."

"You're taking it well."

"Yes, well...I don't really care either way about Malfoy. He was a prick in school, and I've graduated. I'm putting it behind me now, and I'm trying to keep an open mind at least for your sake."

Ginny smiled brightly throwing her arms around her friend. "Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me yet," Hermione warned, "Ron is going to blow up when he finds out."

"Can I just not tell him?"

Hermione pursed her lips but decided to keep her opinion to herself. It was Ginny's decision, but she felt that Ron was bound to find out eventually.

Ginny sighed. "I'd really rather not tell Ron, but I suppose I should. Mum and dad took it well considering."

"Considering what?"

"You know dad absolutely loathes Lucius Malfoy."

"Oh yeah."

"He was calm about it though I can't say he agrees with it. I think mum expected me to marry Harry."

"Wait," Hermione interrupted, "marry? Are you _marrying _Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes!"

Hermione frowned again. "Don't you think it's rather soon?"

"No. I love him, and I want to be with him."

"Very well. Are you going to tell Ron?"

Ginny pushed her hair off her face, a finger coming to twine in the auburn strands. She tugged at her hair as she pulled a plump lip into her mouth. Finally she stood, pushing her hair completely away from her face. "Yes, I'll do it now. Are you going to come?"

"I ought to. Perhaps I could talk some sense into Ron."

Ginny gave her skeptical look, and Hermione's mouth twitched. It was very likely a completely fruitless idea, but she was willing to try anyways. Ron needed to be happy for his sister even if he didn't agree with Ginny marrying Malfoy.

The boys were outside resting around the tables Mrs. Weasley had set up outside. Their brooms were next to them, and it appeared they were taking a break from Quidditch. "Hermione come sit down by us!" Harry greeted, waving her over with a grin.

She took a seat next to him, allowing Ginny to sit on her other side. "How is Auror training?"

Her friend grinned widely, his finger coming up to push his slipping glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Good. I miss having you around though. How's the internship at St. Mungo's?"

"I absolutely love it. Oh Harry, I do miss seeing you all the time too, but we have to go in different directions. We'll always see each other though especially when the war is over."

Ginny cleared her throat, cutting across Harry and Hermione's conversation. "Um, there's something I'd like to tell you."

Hermione smiled encouragingly although they both knew Ron was about to blow up. At least Draco Malfoy wasn't an evil git intent on taking over the world. _Then again,_ her mind whispered, _you dream about an evil git intent on taking over the world. _Hermione frowned for a moment. It was stupid, but they were only dreams after all. Voldemort would very likely kill her before he would ever touch her.

She winced and came back to the present as Ron's angry voice boomed over the clearing. There was absolutely no hope it would be a minor issue as his yelling escalated into full blown take no prisoners yelling.

"-STILL AN EVIL GIT. I DON'T CARE IF HE'S FOR THE ORDER! LEOPARDS DON'T CHANGE THEIR SPOTS AND MALFOY GREW UP BELIEVING HE WAS BETTER THAN OTHERS AND HE SUDDENLY CHANGES! I HIGHLY DOUBT IT AND I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD BE INVOLVED WITH SUCH A GIT," Ron said, his face a deep purple color and his eyes smoldering from anger.

Ginny was shaking like a leaf, the freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose even more pronounced. Hermione leapt from the bench to face Ron. Harry already looked like he wanted to take cover.

"Ronald Weasley, lower your voice! So Ginny's getting married, so what? We're not in school anymore, and perhaps it's time to let go of our prejudices."

"MALFOY CAN'T BE TRUSTED!" Ron yelled back, his hands balling into fists.

"He's in the Order now, isn't he? Dumbledore trusts him."

"HE ALSO TRUSTS SNAPE! WHAT DOES THAT SAY?"

"Ron," Harry chimed in quietly, "Dumbledore has reasons for what he does."

"Has he ever told you what they are"

"He doesn't need to," Harry returned, "I trust him."

Ron stared in disbelief before turning on his heel and running towards the house.

"Well, that went rather well. Wouldn't you say?" Harry said, trying to lighten the mood.

Ginny sniffled a little and laid her head on Hermione's shoulder. "I knew he would take it badly but he might not even talk to me, because the man I love happens to be Malfoy. Well, Ron is being a git and I won't cry over him," Ginny said and she stood up straight, drying her eyes, though they were still a bit puffy. She smiled and the three of them walked back to the Burrow.

When they entered the kitchen, they saw members of the Order gathered in the kitchen. Dumbledore smiled at them over his half-moon spectacles as they came inside.

"Is something wrong?" Harry immediately asked.

"No," Dumbledore replied then gestured to the table, "why don't you sit down?"

They took their seats, and Hermione glanced around. Fred was missing from among the members of the Order. She heard voices on the stairs before Ron and Fred appeared at the stairwell. It appeared they had been fighting from the sour looks they gave each other.

"Now that you're all here we can begin. We have information about Voldemort's location, and we would like two teams of Order members to go."

"Wait, why are Order members going? What about the Aurors?" Hermione chimed in.

"They are still ignoring the threat of Voldemort's return. Some of our members are indeed Aurors, but we cannot only send them in. It will look suspicious."

"What about the two teams?"

"I would like Harry, Ron, Remus and Mad-Eye for the first team while on the second I would like Hermione, Ginny, Draco and Tonks."

Hermione frowned as she listened to Dumbledore. It seemed dodgy that they suddenly had information about Voldemort, and why wasn't she on Harry's team. They had always stuck together. Wouldn't it make more sense to send just Aurors?

"Professor, I don't think we're qualified to do this."

"I believe all you in this room are more than qualified to do this. Besides, we will be placing tracking charms upon all of you as a safety precaution. Try not to get separated."

Hermione nodded as the others agreed to do the mission. Finally it was her turn. Everyone looked at her with expectant eyes, but she could not fathom agreeing to this charade. "I'll do it."

She was surprised she had been able to utter the words. What else could she have said? Everyone expected her to do it, and how could she let them down? Hermione swallowed, dread already beginning to fill her stomach at the very prospect of the adventure.


	2. The Mission

**A/N: I rewrote the first chapter, so please read that one first before this one! -Lenia-**

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Love and Betrayal

Summary: Summary: "Ginny!" Hermione called. Someone grabbed her from behind, pulling her close. "I wouldn't yell..." Hermione/Voldermort

Chapter 2: The Mission

Hermione awoke the next morning and looked around. She sat up when she noticed no one else in the room. She got out of bed and crept to her trunk. She took out a locked box which she unlocked with the key around her neck. Inside the box was a notebook. Hermione kept her dreams in here. They were all about him. The dreams had started right before seventh year and so Hermione bought the book to write them all down. It helped to clear her mind.

Hermione then found a pen which she used only for this and took everything back to the bed. Hermione flipped to where the last entry ended which was last night's dream and began to write…

_Dream:_

_Hermione hummed to herself as she brushed her hair before bed. She stopped her humming as she heard the door open. She however continued to brush her hair until she felt someone take the brush from her and place it on the vanity in front of her. _

_He pulled her up and Hermione turned to face him. She noticed that his crimson eyes were darkened. She smiled and he took her arm. She thought he would lead her to the bed but instead he kissed the ring on her finger, her wedding ring._

_He traced his hands over the snakes that were around the beautiful emerald of the ring. "This ring was always made for you and now it resides on your hand where it was always meant to be," he said, pulling her closer to kiss her._

_When he pulled back from her, he whispered, "Are you enjoying the book I gave you?"_

"_Yes, Alchemy has always been quite intriguing but I never knew there was so much more to the subject," Hermione replied, unconsciously rubbing her hand against the Dark Mark on his arm._

_He pulled her hand away and brought her closer. He touched her stomach and then whispered, "Perhaps we should start on that child we want."_

_Hermione shivered involuntarily but pulled his head down to hers and kissed him. She took his arm and…_

Hermione hurriedly closed the book and stashed it in her trunk, not even putting it in the locked box. A few seconds later, Ginny burst into the room. She was wearing all green with the exception of her black robes.

"Are you going to get dressed? Dumbledore is already here and you still need to eat," Ginny said.

Hermione nodded and took out the clothes she had worn in the battle of her sixth year. It consisted of black pants, a black tank top, black shoes and a black robe. She quickly dressed and pulled her curls into a messy bun then followed Ginny downstairs.

Hermione entered the kitchen and saw Mrs.Weasley gesturing for her. She walked over to Mrs.Weasley and was pushed into a chair and food was set before her. Hermione ate quickly but heard Dumbledore and Lupin who had arrived during the night, fighting about something.

"—would not be happy about such a thing. That would be like using her because he would capture if given the chance. Snape already said..." Lupin was saying but Hermione didn't hear the rest as Ginny and Draco began to talk to her.

"I think that the two of you should be together when we get to the forest. I'm a death eater after all and I shouldn't be seen with the two of you. And I can take care of myself," Draco said, seeing the look Ginny was giving him.

Hermione forced a smile, though she was a tad bit annoyed that she couldn't hear what Lupin and Dumbledore were saying.

"Draco has a fair point Ginny. He can take care of himself but also he is a death eater and if he is to remain as such, we should separate from him. He could be killed for being a spy," Hermione said.

Ginny nodded as Dumbledore came in. "Lupin and I have decided that the three of you will take a portkey to get there but you can apparate back here," Dumbledore said.

"Oh and let me place the tracking charms on you," Dumbledore said. They all came forward but Hermione couldn't hear the spell that Dumbledore said at each of them.

Hermione, Draco and Ginny all nodded and Mrs.Weasley hugged Ginny. Tonks came and hugged Hermione. "Be careful," Tonks whispered before letting go. Hermione nodded and took the saucer that Dumbledore had pulled from his pocket. Draco and Ginny joined her several minutes later.

"3…2…1" Dumbledore said. Hermione felt the familiar tug at her navel and felt herself soaring. But all too soon it stopped and she fell to the ground. Draco helped her up and she looked around.

The forest was beautiful, that was the only thought in her brain. Ginny threaded her arm through hers and they waved goodbye to Draco, who went in another direction.

They walked for about an hour with no disturbances but as they came to a particular part of the forest, they saw a blast of red light. Both of the girls jumped out of the way and Hermione's first instinct was to run. And that was exactly what she did.

Two hours later Hermione began to make her way to where she lost Ginny. She soon came upon the same place and she did something impulsively.

"Ginny! Where are you!" Hermione yelled. She however, received no answer except for two arms grabbing her from behind. "I wouldn't yell in the forest. You never know what's out there," the man said.

"Oh, you mean like you. Your voice sounds very familiar but yet I cannot place it," she replied.

The man chuckled. She heard him mutter a spell which bound her hands and then she felt her wand leave its place. The man let go of her and she considered running but she didn't have her wand, so it was better to stay put. She saw a piece of material before she was plunged into darkness. She realized that the man had put a blindfold on her. She growled and the man chuckled again. He grabbed her shoulders and steered her through the forest.

She felt the ground beneath her feet get rockier before they stopped. She heard the man mumble something and she heard something like concrete or stone scraping. The man pushed her inside and she heard the same sound again. The man took her shoulders again and steered her up some stairs and through a door. Finally, she felt the blindfold being taken off.

Hermione looked around the room. It was a bedroom. A large mahogany bed occupied the far wall with emerald green coverings and a large silver snake was on the footboard of the bed. A large, gilded chandelier hung in the middle of the room with a marble fireplace near a desk. Hermione crept closer and saw a few books, parchment and quills. Then she looked across the room and saw a few bookcases and a mahogany vanity.

Hermione gasped. That was the same vanity from her dream. The man who captured her chuckled. Hermione spun around and met the dark blue eyes of Lord Voldermort.

-I was going to leave it here but I'll make it a bit longer-

Hermione's eyes opened wide and she stumbled back. She couldn't believe Voldermort wasn't snake-like any longer. Voldermort walked closer, still watching her.

"Where are Ginny and Draco," Hermione finally said, buying herself some time. Time from what, she didn't know.

Voldermort laughed. "Ginevra and Draco are quite alright," he replied, backing Hermione against a wall.

Voldermort smiled and leaned his arms on either side of her. "What do you feel for me?" he asked...

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**A/N: Um I don't think this chapter is that good so please review and tell me. My sister was bothering me while I was writing it and so it might not be that good.**


	3. New Friends?

Love and Betrayal

**A/N: Ok, I rewrote this chapter and I think it's a bit better but a little funny. And the revelation will be in the next chapter. I hope you like it. I was going to redo the story like Amy Lee suggested but I decided not to. The next chapter will be Hermione/Ebony talking and it will also be Hermione's friends talking. A lot will be revealed next chapter or do you thinkI should wait? Please tell!**

_

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From Previous Chapter…_

_Voldermort smiled and leaned his arms on either side of her. "What do you feel for me?" he asked…_

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Hermione gaped up at Voldermort, not believing what she was hearing. However, flashes of her dreams went across her mind. Voldermort stared into her eyes and saw that and smirked. 

Hermione swallowed and looked up at Voldermort. He was very attractive and the scent of him was making her dizzy. Voldermort leaned closer and Hermione closed her eyes. She could feel him so close. So very close to her body and then there was a knock on the door. Hermione opened her eyes to see Voldermort pulling away.

He walked to the door and was whispering to whoever was outside. Hermione breathed out a breath she didn't know she was holding and sat down on the settee in front of the fireplace.

Hermione looked up as she heard footsteps. Voldermort was walking towards her with a woman in his wake. She was fairly tall and beautiful or maybe more striking. She had beautiful blonde hair that had been pulled in a French twist and was wearing elegant powder blue robes.

Voldermort stopped in front of Hermione and lifted her hand. He placed a kiss on it and whispered, "I will see you at dinner." Hermione watched him leave, her hand tingling from the sensation of his mouth on her hand.

The woman took a seat in a chair by the fireplace. She smiled kindly before saying, "You must be Hermione. Tom mentioned you before. I'm Narcissa Bla- I mean Malfoy," Narcissa said, adding distaste to Malfoy.

Hermione knitted her eyebrows in confusion. She had always heard that Narcissa was like the rest of them, stuck up and cruel. But meeting her made her rethink that. Narcissa seemed sincere.

"I don't understand. Why did you say the Malfoy name with distaste?" Hermione asked.

Narcissa laughed. "I say it with distaste because they say one thing but do another. I absolutely loathe Lucius for being a cruel and bloodthirsty man. Tom lets me live here most of the year and I've been waiting to meet you," Narcissa replied.

"Oh, you dislike Lucius too. I will always hold animosity for him. For what he did to my friends and I in the Department of Mysteries. But weren't you involved?" Hermione said.

Narcissa cast her eyes down. "Lucius had me under the imperius. After Lucius was put in Azkaban, I came here to live and I only live at Malfoy Manor for about three months out of the year," she replied.

"Oh. Well, I don't have a dislike for your son, Draco. He was Head Boy with me last year. He's really intelligent," Hermione replied.

Narcissa smiled. "Yes, but if he were so intelligent, he wouldn't..." Narcissa trailed off, "But, come you need to get dressed in better clothes and after that we will go and meet some of the other ladies."

Hermione was suspicious by Narcissa's abrupt change of subject and wondered how Draco had failed in his intelligence. She was however scared to ask. She wondered what would happen if she did and she didn't believe Narcissa at all when she said she was under the imperius.

Narcissa stood up and took Hermione's arm. Dread filled Hermione's stomach but then she was in a room full of dresses. Narcissa found a pair of violet robes and told Hermione to change into them. Hermione nodded blankly, going along with it so she might not get punishment. She was scared that at any moment she would be tortured. Narcissa nodded when Hermione had changed and took her arm once more.

Narcissa led her out into the hall when she stopped. "We are going to meet some of the women who live here," was all she said.

Narcissa opened a door on the third floor and Hermione saw many women but one woman came forward to greet Narcissa. She had shiny and beautiful black hair and from her face you could say she was once beautiful but it was sunken as if she had sent many years in Azkaban. Hermione recognized her immediately. She was Bellatrix Lestrange, the one who had made Neville's parents go insane.

"Hello Narcissa, my sister and you must be Hermione," Bellatrix said.

Hermione was scared now because she knew what Bellatrix could do.

"Yes, I am Bellatrix," Hermione said, standing straighter.

Bellatrix stared at her. "How do you know my name?" she asked finally and a hush fell over the room

"I met you in the Department of Mysteries. You tried to kill my friends and me," Hermione said.

Bellatrix continued to stare at her. "I'm sorry but I don't know you. Maybe you were mistaken," she said lightly.

Hermione looked into her eyes however and saw that she was lying and hatred was pouring forth from the depths towards Hermione.

Narcissa cleared her throat and took Hermione's arm. She led her to the other women and introduced them until there was one left.

"Hermione, this is Ebony Slithinm," Narcissa said.

The woman smiled and extended her hand in greeting. "I'm very pleased to meet you Hermione. And it's Granger is it not?" she asked.

Hermione stood there for a few seconds trying to comprehend. This was the very first woman besides Narcissa who said they were pleased to meet her. She smiled at the woman finally and took her hand.

"Yes, it is Hermione. Hermione Granger," she replied.

Ebony gestured for her to sit and Hermione did. For some reason she trusted Ebony. She couldn't understand why but she did. The other women frightened her and she hated Bellatrix and would never trust her. Narcissa was still, well open to debate.

When she sat down, Hermione surveyed the woman. She was quite beautiful with long, deep black hair like the color of a raven and pale skin like porcelain. And her eyes were deep pools of purple.

Hermione wanted to ask the woman many things but she wasn't expected for the first thing out of her mouth, "Are you a death eater?"

Ebony smiled, "No I'm not nor will I ever be. My father will never be either. We are only supporters. I have no wish to partake in such bloodshed. But I love living here."

Hermione relaxed a bit but was still on edge. She didn't understand why she trusted this woman but she did but she would be on her guard.

Several hours passed as Hermione and Ebony talked. They told each other about themselves mostly. Hermione learned that Ebony's mother had died at the hands of an auror. The auror had assumed that Ebony's mother, whose name was Alena, was a death eater and in those times everything was uncertain.

Ebony's father had raised her and she always wondered who that man was who killed her mother.

"I'm so sorry for you," Hermione said.

"Don't be. It's been 19 years since then. I was only 7 when it happened," Ebony replied.

"You're 26! That's close to my age," Hermione said.

"Yes, I am close to your age and quite young. Most of the women here are 30 or older. Most late 30's," Ebony replied.

Narcissa came over. "Hermione, it's time to go dress for dinner. The Dark Lord will be expecting you," she said.

Ebony nodded at Narcissa and turned to Hermione. "We will see each other at dinner. Most of the Dark Lord's death eaters and followers eat with him. And so I will be there."

Hermione nodded and followed Narcissa. They went to Hermione's rooms and Narcissa gave her a pair of blood red robes. They had a crimson silk under robe with a blood red velvet over robe.

Hermione took them and changed. Narcissa smiled and took out her wand but Hermione was scared to death. Narcissa saw her look and laughed.

"I'm going to do your hair," she said and flicked her wand, making Hermione's hair go up.

"Oh and here, this is a gift from the Dark Lord," Narcissa said, handing Hermione a black box.

Hermione opened it to reveal a bracelet that was silver with blood red rubies and the clasp was an H for Hermione.

"Oh, that is beautiful. Here let me put it on you," Narcissa said.

Hermione bit her lip and shook her head. The bracelet could be poisoned or it could be some sort of chain type thing. She wasn't going to take chances.

"Why ever not?" Narcissa asked.

Hermione continued to shake her head and Narcissa sighed. "Well, here, we'll put the box on the vanity," she said.

Hermione sighed in relief. At least Narcissa didn't force her to wear the bracelet.

Narcissa took her arm and pushed her in front of the mirror. Hermione stared at herself. The crimson under robe was low cut enough so that you saw a faint swell of her breasts. The blood red over robe was cut in a V and came to rest under her breasts. Her hair had been pulled up and her slender neck was shown off.

Narcissa came behind her. She had changed and wore midnight blue robes. They set off her deep blue eyes and she had left her hair down but put a diamond clip in it.

Narcissa took Hermione's arm as the clock began to chime. "It is time for dinner," she said.

Hermione was led down stairs and into a large room. Men dressed opulently were on the right side. Some of them had women on their arms that were dressed just as well but some had women who were dressed more scantily. The men on the left were dressed well and there were fewer women. Hermione saw Ebony on the left with a man who was obviously her father. She wore deep purple robes and her hair had been pulled over and pinned to the side of her head. Everyone stopped speaking when Narcissa and Hermione entered.

Footsteps echoed off the walls and Hermione looked up. Voldermort was coming towards her. He wore black robes but the inside was shown as red silk.

Voldermort stopped before Hermione and Narcissa bowed before she walked to Lucius on the right side of the room. Voldermort looked at her and Hermione glared. Voldermort merely took hold of her arm and threaded it through his own. Hermione glared at the side of his face as the doors ahead of them opened to reveal a large dining hall.

"Why did you not wear the gift I left you?" Voldermort asked as he seated her to the right of him at the mahogany table.

Hermione's red lips thinned. "Ah, so you have no reason or perhaps you do but you're not going to tell me," Voldermort said.

Hermione merely turned her head to greet the person next to her. Voldermort smiled as he imagined Hermione's shock.

And she was shocked when she saw Ebony beside her. "I thought that the people on the right side were sitting at the head of the table?" Hermione asked.

"They do but the Dark Lord asked me to sit next to you. He said that he knows of your distaste for most of his followers," Ebony replied.

Hermione nodded, glad that she had a friend in a sea of people she despised. House elves entered and served the food. But as one elf went to fill Hermione's goblet, Voldermort gestured for another elf. The elf came forward and filled Hermione's goblet instead.

Hermione didn't notice as she was involved in conversation with Ebony but Ebony noticed and shot Voldermort a look. He just glared at her in response as if challenging her. Ebony just turned her head and answered Hermione.

Hermione picked at her food wondering if it was poisoned. But she drank from her goblet more and talked to Ebony mostly and because of this, missed the smirk gracing Voldermort's lips.

"Are you alright?" Ebony asked as she saw Hermione looking dizzy.

Hermione only giggled but then said, "Yes, but you know the room is really swirly."

Ebony stared at Hermione before taking her goblet away. "Hey, gimme me that back!" Hermione yelled indigently.

Voldermort cleared the table and leaned over. "I would suggest Miss Slithinm that you give Hermione her goblet back."

Hermione giggled as Ebony relinquished the goblet as she glared. Hermione yawned. "I'm tired," Hermione looked at Voldermort, "will you take me?"

Voldermort stood up and grabbed Hermione's arm but Ebony stood up also. She knew enough to know that Hermione was drunk and on purpose. Lucius took his wand out however and pointed it at her. "Sit down Slithinm," he hissed.

Tears fogged Ebony's eyes but she took a seat. Her father was glaring at her and she turned away from him.

Back with Hermione>

Hermione clung to Voldermort as he walked her to her bedroom. When she was tired, she became very clingy but now she was also very drunk.

Voldermort opened Hermione's bedroom door then closed it behind him. He led Hermione to her bed and put her in the bed. She clung to him tightly.

"Don't leave, please," she said.

Voldermort climbed into the bed next to her and she settled against him. Soon both were asleep.

_Dream:_

_Hermione stepped into her nightgown. It was green silk and had lacy straps. She pulled her robe around her and exited her bathroom. Voldermort sat on the bed, his white skin gleaming in the candlelight._

"_My Hermione," he said. _

_Hermione smiled as he came forward and embraced her, smelling her scent of violets. Hermione pulled away and walked backwards towards the bed. She crawled back and Voldermort began to crawl up. And as he went, he lifted her nightgown until her skin was illuminated by the soft light of the candle by the bedside. _

_Hermione reached over and pulled Voldermort towards her, kissing him passionately. Voldermort pulled back and began to remove his clothes. Hermione ran her hands over his back and Voldermort…_

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Hermione opened her eyes. It was still dark but her head pounded horribly. She groaned and snuggled closer to her source of warmth. It was satiny smooth, like skin. She jolted awake and sat up. The sudden movement however, made her head pound horribly. She carefully got up and went into the bathroom.

She threw up in the toilet and afterwards drew herself a bath. She soaked in the warmth of it. She loved the smell of violet; it helped to clear her head. She smiled to herself before she got out of the bath. She drew a towel about herself and walked back into her room. The lights were on and she almost screamed when she saw Voldermort sitting on her bed. But she did jump in the air and the towel slipped off.

Voldermort froze when this happened but his eyes roamed up her body. Hermione blushed crimson as she thought of her dream. She didn't pick up the towel but ran into the clothing room. She found a pair of lavender robes and pulled them on.

She walked back out into her room and glared at Voldermort. He merely raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything. Hermione sat down at the vanity and her eyes widened at the sight. The robes she had chosen were low cut and showed the tops of her breasts. Voldermort came behind her. "Lovely robes, Hermione," he said.

Hermione glared at him in the mirror before pushing past him. She went back into the clothing room and found a green dress. It had quarter length bell sleeves and it fell about her ankles. She walked back into her room and saw Voldermort still by her vanity.

"Why don't you wear the bracelet?" he asked.

Before Hermione could stop herself, she said, "It could be cursed."

Voldermort laughed and turned around. "If I was going to curse you, I would have and not have given you a gift," he said.

Hermione thought about it. He was right, Voldermort would have cursed her, not have gone to the point of giving her a gift.

"Wear the bracelet," he said.

"I still don't trust you," she said.

Voldermort turned and walked out of the room. Hermione closed her eyes and smiled. She sat down at the vanity and brushed her hair. She wished she had something to do. When she had finished brushing her hair, she admired the bracelet.

As she was doing that, Voldermort came back. Hermione spun around, the bracelet in her hand.

"I see you like it but you don't trust me," he said.

"What do you have behind your back?" Hermione asked of his left arm.

Voldermort pulled it into view and revealed a book. Hermione inched closer, curious.

It was a book on Ancient Runes. "I know that you like Ancient Runes and I own many books on the subject because it always was one of my favorites in school," he said.

Hermione stared at him and then the book. "You took Ancient Rune?" she muttered weakly.

"Yes, I did. Why do you find that hard to believe? I was once at Hogwarts and I did take some of the subjects you took," he said.

Hermione nodded. Harry had mentioned that Voldermort had been at Hogwarts but Harry had also said that he had had another name. That Voldermort was not his true name.

Hermione shook her head and took the book. "Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," Voldermort replied. It was faint but Hermione still heard it.

Voldermort turned and left the room with Hermione staring after him. Hermione shook her head and lay down on the bed to read the book...

* * *


	4. Arguments

Love and Betrayal

Hermione awoke to someone knocking on the door. She shook her head and looked next to her. Her book was sitting there, opened to the page she had left off with. She got off the bed and went to the door.

"Hello Hermione," Ebony greeted.

"Oh, hello Ebony, please come in," Hermione replied.

Ebony came in and sat down. "How are you?" she asked.

"Oh, just fine," Hermione replied as she went to pick up the book.

"Isn't that T- the Dark Lord's book?" Ebony asked.

Hermione spun around to look at her. "Yes it is. But how did you know?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, well I've been in the Dark Lord's private library many times and I have even read that book," Ebony replied.

Hermione smiled and came to sit beside Ebony. "Hey, Ebony, don't you find this strange?" Hermione asked. She was pointing to the wall above the fireplace. It looked like it had been spelled or something.

Ebony stood up to look closer. Her brow furrowed and she looked around the room before she smiled and took out her wand. She said a spell and the wall began to shrink back and soon there was a small alcove with a portrait.

Hermione looked closer. The lady in the portrait wore an emerald green gown with a full skirt and bell sleeves. Over the gown was an emerald cloak with gold fastening. The woman wore a choker around her neck that was a snake but in the center was an emerald. The woman's hair had been pulled back and was secured by two braids of her own raven hair. She had porcelain skin and lively midnight blue eyes.

Hermione's eyes traveled to the bottom of the portrait which said, '_Julianna Marvolo' (1907-1927)._

"Who was she?" she asked Ebony.

"That was the Dark Lord's mother. She was only 20 when she died. All this furniture used to belong to her. It was in the Marvolo mansion," Ebony said.

"But do you remember anything about last night?" Ebony asked.

"Not really but I do know that had a horrible headache when I woke up and Voldemort was in my room," Hermione replied.

Ebony's eyes widened. "Are you in pain?" she asked.

"No," Hermione replied.

Ebony smiled. "Well, perhaps the Dark Lord slept in your bed?" she questioned.

Hermione scrunched up her nose like there was something yucky under it. "I hope not. Though maybe that would explain why my source of warmth felt like skin," she said.

Both women turned around as the door opened. Voldemort stepped into the room and came over to them. The smile or smirk as Hermione thought, slid off his face when he saw the portrait.

"Hello Tom," his mother said.

"Mother, I see you've met Hermione," he said.

"I was not properly introduced, they only just uncovered my portrait," Julianna replied.

Hermione smiled up at the woman who was Julianna Marvolo or Riddle. "I'm Hermione Granger," she said.

Julianna smiled as she glanced to Voldemort and Ebony. Ebony bit her lip as she stared into the fire.

Voldemort smiled at Hermione and grabbed Ebony's arm. "I must speak with E-Miss Slithinm in the hallway," he said before the two disappeared into the hallway.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders though she was a bit puzzled by it. She turned back to Julianna's portrait.

"My dear, you know I've wanted to meet you forever! Tom has mentioned you a few times and that only perked up my interest," Julianna said, smiling down at Hermione.

Hermione raised an eyebrow but smiled back. Voldemort's mother was, well very interesting. She wasn't how Hermione imagined. She expected Voldemort's mother to be some cold hearted woman with pureblooded ideals in her head. But Hermione, rationalized, Julianna did marry a muggle. She wondered how Voldemort would have turned out if his mother had lived.

Hermione shook her head because it wouldn't do to dwell on what if? She was puzzled by the fact that Voldemort had mentioned her to his mother. And Ebony almost called Voldemort Tom and Voldemort almost called Ebony, well Ebony. And he hadn't done that before. She was also worried about spending anymore time in the snake pit as she referred to the group of death eater ladies. True, most of them weren't death eaters but wives to death eaters but they supported the cause their husbands were part of.

Hermione looked towards the door as Ebony and Voldemort returned. Ebony forcefully smiled at Hermione but she knew something was up. Voldemort came over and kissed Hermione's hand while Julianna smiled. Hermione rolled her eyes and snatched her hand.

"What?" Voldemort asked, "Am I not allowed to kiss your hand like a gentleman?"

"If you were such a gentleman, you would not kill innocent muggles or sleep in the same bed as me!" Hermione replied coldly.

Voldemort's smirk disappeared and was replaced with a glare. He grabbed Hermione, pulling her close.

"I would not say that in front of my mother," he whispered into her ear, his breath feathering over her neck. She shivered involuntarily and wrenched herself from his grip.

"And as for me sleeping in your bed," he continued, "you wouldn't let go of my robes."

"You still had a choice. My friends know how..." Hermione trailed off at the mention of her friends. She hadn't realized how much she missed them.

Voldemort smirked and arched an eyebrow. Hermione glared at him and turned away towards the fireplace.

"What about dear Potter?" Voldemort asked. He knew of course that he was provoking her but he couldn't help it.

Hermione spun around to face him, rage burning in her eyes. "You have no right to speak of my friends. Ginny and I used to stay up late at night and when I get really sleepy I cling to the person I'm with. Ginny knew how to make me let go," Hermione replied.

Voldemort smirked. "Yes, dear Ginevra. How sad it seems that she betrayed you. How Draco betrayed you. They led you here because they are both faithful death eaters," he said.

Hermione snorted. "I'm sorry but don't take it personally if I don't believe you," Hermione replied.

"Ah but you do my dear Hermione. You have a seed of doubt in your brain. Draco was the one who shot the stunning spell at the two of you. They left afterwards," Voldemort continued.

Hermione glared at him. She refused to believe him. He wanted to turn her away from her friends.

"And if Potter knew that you had, _intimate _dreams of me, what would he think?" Voldemort said.

Hermione stared into the fire, refusing to look at him. How did he know about the dreams? She remembered the conversation Lupin and Dumbledore were having the day of the mission.

"—would not be happy about such a thing. That would be like using her because he would capture if given the chance. Snape already said..."

Snape. He had contact with Voldemort and he would capture her if given the chance. But what had Snape said?

"Are you the one having the dreams?" Hermione burst out.

Ebony took in a sharp breath while her eyes went wide. Just looking at her, Hermione knew.

Voldemort instead asked, "Why do you ask?"

Hermione looked into his face. He looked so calm, so composed. Just looking at him infuriated her. He looked confident.

"You are the most infuriating git I've ever met and that is saying something! Ron Weasley is very much a git and I used to think no one could top him but I was wrong. You are just a pompous ass who believes he can scare people into telling him things and that he always has the upper hand. You are afraid for people to find out your emotions and you hide behind that confidence!" Hermione burst out suddenly.

Ebony was staring in horror but Voldemort hadn't moved a muscle. He merely quirked an eyebrow before he began to laugh.

Hermione glared at him. "What is so funny?" she asked, calming down. She began to feel dumb as the reality of the situation weighed down on her. She had yelled at Voldemort and he hadn't cursed her but was laughing? The entire world was going crazy, was Hermione's only thought.

Voldemort continued to laugh and it began to irritate Hermione. She finally stomped over to him and slapped him soundly.

Voldemort stopped laughing and looked at her. Hermione's face was red and her eyes were burning with rage. Before Hermione could get a word out of her mouth, Voldemort kissed her.

Hermione wrapped her arms around Voldemort's neck and brought him closer, her anger fading away. She moaned as he rubbed his tongue against hers and that brought Hermione to her senses. She pushed Voldemort away and glared at him.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, trying to wipe her mouth on her sleeve.

Voldemort smiled. "I will see you at dinner," he said and left.

Hermione gaped after him like a fish. "What makes him think…? That- that… How dare he!" Hermione spluttered.

"Are you alright?" Ebony asked.

"Yes other than that infuriating pompous ass," Hermione replied. She breathed in deep ten times trying to get rid of her anger.

Hermione looked to Ebony. "Is it true? About Ginny and Draco being death eaters?" she asked.

"Well, I know that Draco is. If he's working for the Order, it's not for real. As for Ginny, I don't know. I've never seen her around the death eater women but I've heard Narcissa and Bella mention her," Ebony replied.

Hermione turned her head away. How could her friends have betrayed her? And Ginny! They had known one another since Ginny's first year but they had become friends in Ginny's second year. How could Ginny do this?

"Ebony, I'd rather be alone," Hermione said.

"Will you be okay?" Ebony asked.

"Yes but I need to think right now," Hermione replied.

Ebony nodded and went to the door. "Oh, I will be back to help you get ready for dinner," she said.

"I'm not going into that pit of snakes. They all hate me and I'd rather not face Voldemort," Hermione said.

"The Dark Lord will not be pleased but alright," Ebony said before she left.

Hermione lay on the settee and closed her eyes, her mind filled with everything she had learned. She was confused but perhaps some sleep would do her some good…


	5. Mood Swings and Discussions

Love and Betrayal

Hermione stared at the flames dancing in the fireplace. She didn't know how long she lay there staring into the flames but she did. Sleep evaded her. Perhaps if she hadn't of fallen asleep earlier maybe she could have slept now. Julianna kept talking to her and her nerves were reaching their end. She finally stood up and retreated to the bathroom.

She ran the water and slipped in. She loved the feeling of the warm water and there wasn't a portrait talking and nagging her. She stayed in the water, thinking of everything Voldemort had said. He was just saying that to get her temper up right? Hermione finally pulled herself out of the warmth of the water and put a robe about herself. She wandered into the clothing room and found a nightgown. It was floor length and it was midnight blue and it laced up the front. She slipped it on and laced it up. She smiled and then went back into her bedroom. She took the book about Ancient Runes and sat down on the settee to read.

**A Few Hours Later…**

Hermione looked up as someone opened her door. Voldemort came through the door. He wore midnight blue robes and he looked angry. He looked at her.

"What are you wearing?" he asked.

"I'm wearing a nightgown, what do you think?" Hermione replied.

"You need to be dressed for dinner," Voldemort said as he came closer.

"I refuse to go into that snake pit," Hermione hissed, her temper rising.

"You will do as I say," Voldemort said. He grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her to her feet.

Hermione glared as Voldermort began to drag her. Hermione struggled against him, trying to wrench herself free.

"Let go of me!" she yelled.

Voldemort said nothing but opened the door to the clothing room and pushed her inside before coming inside himself and closing the door behind him.

"Find a pair of dress robes," Voldemort said.

"No. You…" Hermione began but Voldemort pushed her aside and began to look through the dress robes on the rack.

He found a pair of midnight blue ones and tossed them to Hermione. "Put them on," he said.

"No," Hermione replied.

"Do you want me to do it for you?" Voldemort asked in a deathly calm voice.

Hermione gasped but went behind another rack of clothes and pulled off her nightgown and slipped into the robes.

Voldemort went to another shelf and waved his wand. He picked up a diamond clip and waved his wand. Hermione's hair went up and the diamond clip held it there. He then picked up a sapphire and diamond necklace. He walked behind Hermione and put it around her neck. The large sapphire at the bottom hung right above the swell of Hermione's breasts.

Voldemort smiled in approval and took Hermione's hand. He pulled her along as he left the room.

"I don't want to go," Hermione tried again.

Voldemort turned to her. "You will cooperate," he said.

"Why is it important for me to come to dinner? I hate those people. They tried to kill me once," she said.

Voldemort stopped and turned to her. "They all hate me. If I, wait why are they being nice? They always hated me for being a muggle-born. Did you have something to do with this?" Hermione asked.

Voldemort took her arm again and pulled her up the stairs to the third floor and down a corridor. He opened a door and pushed her inside. Hermione saw that she was in a small room with a table. "Sit. I will be back," Voldemort said before he left.

Hermione looked around, curious. She opened a door to the right and went inside. She was in a bedroom. The wood beneath her feet was cool. There was a raised dais with a large canopied bed in green. A roaring fire lit up the room. Hermione backed out of the room and into the previous one.

Hermione shrugged and opened the door to the left. She gasped at the sight before her. She was in a library/study. There were rows and rows of books and they were sectioned off. She ran her hand over some of the older more ancient books. She loved the smell and feel of books. She heard someone laugh and turned to see Voldemort in the doorway.

"What?" she asked puzzled.

"I thought that you wouldn't stay seated. And I knew you would find the library. I'm assuming this was the first room you entered," he said, a smile alighting his face.

"No, actually I entered your bedroom first. It's very beautiful," she said.

"Thank you. But we are dining in the next room," he said.

Hermione sighed. Voldemort sure had mood swings. Maybe he was a girl who changed to be a guy and decided to take over the world. Or maybe was strange in the fact that he had pms problems while being a guy. That seemed reasonable enough.

Hermione smiled as she sat down.

"Now are you going to tell me why we are eating here?" Hermione asked hopefully.

Voldemort looked at her. "Absolutely not," he said.

"Oh and you just say what you want and the food appears on the plate," he said.

Hermione scowled but complied. She wished he would tell her why they were eating here. They had a really strange relationship. Since when was it a relationship, she asked herself. They were usually at each other's throats but yet Voldemort had not cursed her or tortured her. And then there were those times when they got along.

Voldemort opened his mouth and Hermione held up a hand. "If you're going to say something mean then don't say it because this is rather nice."

Voldemort scowled. "I wasn't. I was going to ask if you would like to look more at my library."

Hermione's eyes lit up and she jumped to her feet. "I take that as a yes." he said as Hermione bounded towards the library.

Hermione ran her hands over the spines of the books. She found Hogwarts A History and took it off the shelf. She heard Voldemort laugh.

"What is so funny?" she asked.

"You found the most read book in the entire library," he replied.

"You mean that you like this book too. I've read it so many times that I've lost count."

"Yes, I've read it. I also read Salazar Slytherin's autobiography," he said.

Hermione rolled her eyes and settled down to read the book…

* * *

**The Burrow**

Dumbledore sat at the kitchen table watching Harry Potter pace.

"Hermione is missing?" Harry asked as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Yes." Dumbledore replied.

"What about Ginny?" Ron asked.

Dumbledore ignored him. "What about the tracking charm you placed on Hermione?" Harry asked.

Lupin spoke. "We checked it. Either someone took it off or she came into contact with something that counteracted it. There are some spells placed about an area that can counteract a charm such as that," he said.

"But what would Voldemort want with Hermione?" Harry asked.

Lupin and Tonks looked to Dumbledore. He sighed. "Harry, Hermione has been having dreams for over a year, has she told you?" he asked.

"No." he said.

"She told me," Luna Lovegood spoke up.

"What did these dreams have to do with?" Harry asked.

"They were intimate dreams. Hermione felt something for the man in her dreams. She didn't understand why. She also didn't understand why she had the dreams," Luna said.

Harry frowned. It seemed strange to think of Hermione having dreams like that. She was like a sister to him and he had known her for a long time.

"But who did she have them about?" Harry persisted.

Everyone in the room with the exception of the Weasley family (the ones present) and Harry, became uneasy.

Lupin exhaled. "Voldemort," was the only word he said.

Harry's jaw dropped. "WHAT!"

Lupin held up his hand. "There's more. Snape spoke to his niece, Ebony. She lives at the headquarters and he discovered that Voldemort was having the same dreams."

Harry's eyes became like saucers. "Are you suggesting that perhaps Voldemort is having the dreams but Hermione is only getting them through him? But why?"

"We have no clue Harry. And if she is having the dreams only through him then how is that possible. They don't share a connection like you do with him Harry," Dumbledore said.

"I can't believe Hermione was captured," Harry muttered…

* * *

**A/N: okay I had to put in the scence of the people at the Burrow. And I explained a little of the dreams. And Ebony is related to Snape! Hehe. Oh and I had fun writing Voldemort going mad, angry, nice. He seems like the type to have really strange mood swings. Hermione and Voldemort will still fight a lot. But I was thinking about moving up the important scene to the sixth chapter. Orignally it was meant to be the seventh but someone please tell me what you think!**


	6. Discoveries and Meetings

Love and Betrayal

**A/N: Before you read this chapter, I have several things to say. One: I fixed the mistake I made about Julianna's last name. It was supposed to be Marvolo but I don't know what I was thinking. Two, I know in the chapter that it says that Hermione and Ebony are starting a friendship, well, just yeah. Oh and the thing that will happen in this chapter is very Voldemorty. Yeah. So have fun reading!**

* * *

Hermione felt a silkiness against her smooth skin. She moved her head but winced in pain as it throbbed horribly. She blearily saw someone's hand push a bottle into her face and help her drink it. Hermione's vision cleared and she saw Ebony. Her eyes were tear-rimmed but her face had a warm smile. 

How did she get here? She was last in Voldemort's private library and then that was it?

Hermione pushed a piece of hair out of her face with her left hand but she felt something smooth yet tangible grazed her face ever so slightly. She pulled her hand back and saw to her horror a wedding band of white gold that had a large emerald in the middle flanked by two snakes.

Hermione looked to Ebony who had stood up and walked to the fireplace.

"I haven't been completely honest with you Hermione. Perhaps if I had told you when I met you the entire truth perhaps then you would have listened," Ebony said quietly, her eyes trained on the glowing fire.

Ebony turned to face Hermione. "My mother was a pureblood by the name of Alena Snape. She was a beautiful woman of great pureblooded lineage. She married Nathaniel Slithinm. But she caught the eye of Voldemort as it was and he took her to his bed. And of that she grew pregnant of me. My mother named me Ebony Dionne Riddle. But Mr. Slithinm took care of me. He raised me while my mother tried to get back into Voldemort's bed. Later, Ministry officials found out of her affairs with Voldemort and killed her, those were uncertain times as such. But of course Voldemort didn't care she was dead for he felt no love for her. And I was 7, and I did not care for her either. So you see, my father is a half-blood," Ebony said, her purple eyes downcast.

Hermione arose from the bed and padded over to Ebony. "It is alright. But how could you have prevented my marriage to Voldemort?" Hermione asked rather curious.

Ebony looked to the floor. "I went to Hogwarts like you did but I was in Ravenclaw. I had quite the interest in Divination. And in my sixth year, it was found out that I was a seer. I made a prophesy while speaking to Dumbledore. I even wrote it down. It's in that book over there," Ebony said, pointing to a leather book on Hermione's night table, "But, of course Voldemort found out. It had to do with him after all. I asked Dumbledore if there was a way to prevent it happening. He only said that if the prophesy is set into motion, it will be fulfilled. At first I believed even that Voldemort would never find the woman who was destined to be his wife. But he did, in you. And the first part has come true, somewhat," Ebony finished, tears welling behind her eyes.

Hermione put a comforting hand on her shoulder and gently lead her to the settee.

"Tell me what happened. I only remember speaking to Voldemort about Hogwarts A History," Hermione said.

Ebony sighed. "Well, Voldemort had come up with this potion that is quite like Imperius but instead it is a potion and you think and act normal but the other person has complete control over the drinker's mind. There is a special chamber in this room that bindings were usually held in. I came to your room and you weren't here. So, I went looking around the manor and spotted Crabbe and Goyle Sr. lurking in the hallway leading to the chamber. I approached them when Lucius Malfoy came walking up. The two of them grabbed me and I realized what was happening. I struggled against them until I finally gave in and told them that I would like to stay with you until you woke up. Voldemort allowed such a thing and here I am," Ebony said.

"But," Ebony looked up at Hermione, her eyes having a mysterious glint, "wizarding marriages are never complete until they are consummated."

"Which will of course be remedied," Voldemort said from his place in the doorway.

Both women's eyes shot to him and he smirked slightly.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione and Ebony asked at the same time.

Voldemort laughed. "How sweet, you say things in unison. No, I am here to see my _wife_," Voldemort replied.

Hermione stood her hands on her hips. "I am not your _wife_! You married me with some sort of potion and not of my free will! And there is no way our "marriage" will be consummated," Hermione said, her voice rising on wife.

Voldemort's smirk was gone and his eyes full of rage. He stormed over to Hermione and grabbed her arm. "We will consummate the marriage," he hissed in her ear.

Hermione forcefully pulled her arm from his grasp. "You will tell me to do nothing! I am not your puppet and as such you cannot control me."

Ebony finally spoke up. "What are you doing here? Obviously you didn't come here to bicker with your new wife."

Voldemort looked past Hermione at Ebony and sneered. "No I didn't come here to bicker with my wife. I came here to give her this," he said, holding out a large black box.

Hermione eyed it suspiciously. Voldemort huffed. "It's not poisoned nor will it harm you in any way. You're my wife now."

Hermione hesitantly took the box from his hands and opened it. Inside lay a necklace with a snake that had a large emerald in the middle. Ebony looked over Hermione's shoulders and then up at Voldemort.

"That was your mother's necklace," Ebony remarked.

Hermione turned and looked at the portrait of Julianna and saw that the necklace she held was the same that Julianna wore.

"Do you want to put it on?" Voldemort asked though it sounded more like a command.

"Well, if I were to, I would feel as if I belonged to snakes," Hermione replied.

"You do belong to snakes, you belong to me," Voldemort said as he took the necklace and slipped it around Hermione's neck.

Hermione turned to Ebony. "I would like to see that prophesy now," she said.

"She knows of the prophesy. And it will come true," Voldemort said, his voice a hiss and then going back to normal.

Ebony walked to the table and brought the book to Hermione. She pointed at the prophesy which was written in beautiful flowing script.

_For a man of darkness,_

_A wife for him he must have,_

_That loves him with her heart and gives her soul of both,_

_Too soon it happens but all is well,_

_And a light shall shine forth._

"What does it mean?" Hermione whispered to Ebony.

"Oh, well the first three lines are easy to decipher. The first line refers to Voldemort. The second is explanatory, he must have a wife. The third means that his wife must love him and they will have a child. The fourth line I'm not sure and it must be of importance because the fifth line could mean anything but it apparently has something to do with the fourth," Ebony supplied.

Hermione smiled at Ebony. "I think this is the start of a friendship," Hermione whispered.

"I'm glad. I will help you avoid him. We want the marriage to expire," Ebony said….

* * *

**Meanwhile at Grimmuald Place as Hermione was awakening…**

Harry rushed down the stairs as he clutched his scar. The dream he had had was so vivid and it intrigued him. He hoped of course that it wasn't true.

He skidded into the kitchen and everyone looked up.

"Whatever is the matter, my dear," Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I had a dream about Hermione. But, um, Professor Dumbledore do you have a pensive, it would be easier that way," Harry said.

Everyone scrambled around and Dumbledore brought forth his pensive. Harry put his wand to his head and drew forth the memory and dropped it into the pensive.

Professor Dumbledore took out his wand and tapped the surface of the pensive before disappearing….

_The Dream:_

Voldemort held onto Hermione's arm as they walked to the chamber. Lucius passed by him. "I set everything up my lord," he said as he bowed.

Voldemort nodded and continued on. Crabbe and Goyle Sr. bowed to him and parted to let Voldemort and Hermione through. Hermione smiled and looked up at Voldemort.

They passed into the chamber and the door closed. The old man at the head of the chamber beckoned them forward.

The 'minister' took Hermione's hand and slit her palm open. "Repeat after me my dear," the man said.

"With my blood I do give myself to Tom Marvolo Riddle until such time as death," Hermione said after the man.

The man caught some of her blood in a chalice. Then the man slit Voldemort's palm and told him to repeat after him.

"With my blood I do give myself to Hermione Alyssa Granger until such time as death," Voldemort repeated.

The man caught some of Voldemort's blood in the same chalice. Then the man bound their cut hands together with a piece of cloth.

The man gave Hermione the chalice first. "Repeat after me after you drink," the man said.

Hermione drank some of the blood from the chalice then repeated, "I feel your life, I feel your life, my love in my veins."

Then Voldemort drank from the cup and repeated, "I feel your life, I feel your life, my love in my veins."

"The rings please," the man said.

Voldemort gave him the rings and the man blessed them by the elements before giving them to slip on.

"Now you may kiss your wife but remember you have one month my lord to consummate the marriage," the man said.

Voldemort leaned down and captured Hermione's lips. She leaned closer to him, running her hands through his hair. Finally, he broke the kiss and took her arm.

Voldemort went to the door and opened it to find Lucius facing Crabbe and Goyle while they held someone back.

Voldemort and Hermione walked briskly to the people. Voldemort smirked as he realized that Crabbe and Goyle held back Ebony, his daughter.

Ebony looked up at the sound of footsteps. She struggled against the men. "_YOU BASTARD!_" Ebony yelled before the memory disappeared.

_End of Dream…_

Dumbledore came back and everyone looked at him. "Where is the floo? I must tell Serveus of this immediately," Dumbledore said.

Mrs. Weasley pointed to the floo and Dumbledore threw it into the fireplace yelling, "Potion Masters Quarters, Hogwarts,"

Dumbledore talked through the fireplace to Snape before he pulled his head out and Snape appeared behind him.

Everyone in the room looked at the duo expectantly. "It would appear that Miss Granger or Mrs. Riddle now, was under a potion that the Dark Lord recently created. It is called the Consprit Potion and it has some effects of the Imperius Curse but the drinker will act normal. We only know that she was under such a thing because Ebony is the Dark Lord's daughter and my niece. She is a Seer and she told me that she warned Miss-Mrs. Riddle about staying away from dining with the Dark Lord. And Ebony is usually a calm girl and it seems strange that Crabbe and Goyle would hold Ebony back," Snape said.

"Stop calling Hermione Mrs. Riddle!" Harry said angrily.

"Mr. Potter, might I remind you that in the dream you saw the Dark Lord and Miss Granger marry? As such she is Mrs. Riddle. I will find out more today as it is a meeting day and no doubt Mrs. Riddle will be in attendance as the Dark Lord's new wife. And I will speak to my niece. Then I will be able to tell you more," Snape replied and he flooed back to his chambers...

* * *

**Hermione's Room**

Hermione and Ebony sat reading in companionable silence. They looked up as the door opened to reveal Voldemort.

"What do you want?" Ebony asked.

"We have a meeting today and my wife will be in attendance. I will even allow you, Ebony to come and keep my wife company," Voldemort said.

Ebony looked to Hermione. Ebony stood up and grabbed a hold of Hermione's arm and pulled her towards the closet.

"You have to be joking about going to the meeting!" Hermione said once Ebony had shut the door.

"Of course not. We need to go. You are of high position but also my Uncle Serveus will be there, perhaps we or just I could speak with him," Ebony replied.

"I hadn't thought of that. It would be good to know the secrets of Voldemort," Hermione said thoughtfully.

Ebony smiled and brought out emerald robes and black robes for herself.

"You will wear the emerald," Ebony said.

Hermione eyed the gown and slipped it on. She looked in the mirror and saw Ebony grinning mischievously.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"That is the same gown that Julianna was wearing," Ebony replied.

"And you want me to wear it? I look horrible. Look, the tops of my breasts show," Hermione said.

"Exactly the point. We're also trying to distract Voldemort," Ebony replied, linking her arm with Hermione's and walking through the door.

Voldemort eyed Hermione while she rolled her eyes and dragged Ebony towards the door.

Voldemort swept up and took Hermione's arm instead while Ebony stepped back and walked behind them.

They reached the room and the deatheaters bowed as they walked towards their thrones. Hermione was seated and Ebony sat beside her in a chair and then Voldemort took a seat…..


	7. Deatheaters are revealed

Love and Betrayal

Voldemort took a seat on his throne and the deatheaters rose to their feet. Hermione's eyes surveyed the people in the room, trying without luck to decipher someone within the masks and cloaks.

Hermione continued to scan the room as Ebony leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You will need to distract Voldemort for 5 to 10 minutes as I go to talk with my uncle."

Hermione did the barest of nods and whispered back, hardly moving her lips, "I take it that I will have to be seductive."

"Well, yes and that dress you are wearing will definitely help and well, he did marry you," Ebony replied.

Hermione sighed as a two people came forward, the first kneeling and the other standing off to the side. Hermione saw Voldemort and the deatheater exchange a few words before the other person started to make their way to Hermione.

Hermione noticed from the physique of the person, they were definitely female. Hermione regarded the deatheater suspiciously before they pulled off their mask and Hermione almost stopped breathing at the face that was looking back at her.

Ginny was looking back at her. Hermione studied her, she looked so different, seemed the only word for her. Her lively brown eyes were blank, as if unseeing. Her red lips were in what seemed to be a forced smile. And the lively and happy nature of Ginny didn't seem there either, her aura felt dead. How strange, Hermione thought.

Hermione's mouth felt dry, no this couldn't be, and no Ginny really didn't betray them, did she? Why? Hermione wanted to know yet her mouth seemed incapable of moving. She swallowed hard and breathed out.

"You're a deatheater?" Hermione asked a rhetorical question but she had to start somewhere, it was quite obvious that she was unless they paraded around in black robes and a mask.

"Yes of course, I wasn't always going to worship Potty or follow around that muggle loving riffraff that call themselves my family," Ginny said with the still, blank expression on her face.

Potty, only Malfoy called Harry that. She remembered it well from her years at Hogwarts, ever since fifth year.

But calling the Weasley's, Ginny's own family such a thing, they had always loved her and showered her with attention, what was up with Ginny?

"The Weasley's are not riffraff but people who loved you with their hearts yet this is how you repay them, by betraying them," Hermione replied evenly.

Ginny's expression did not change. "I didn't do anything but leave them behind where they belong once Draco, my fiancé showed me the true path," Ginny replied.

"Draco, yes I helped you tell your brother about him, believing he was for the Order, that he had changed, but in truth you had changed, you betrayed your family and the Order to be the whore of Draco Malfoy," Hermione said, her anger coming out. How could Ginny say such things of the people that had loved and protected her?

Ginny's eyes became angry, the only expression she had expressed thus far. She started towards Hermione for saying such things of Draco.

Hermione stood up to face Ginny but a voice said, "Crucio."

Ginny fell to the floor in agony, pain beyond imagining filled her body and Hermione backed away as she raised her head to see Voldemort with his wand pointed at Ginny.

He lifted his wand and said, "You will learn your place Ginevra, for I will not tolerate such acts, Hermione is the Dark Queen and you will treat her as such."

Ginny was still on the floor, her eyes unfocused and her brain trying to come from its foggy dreams of late. She could hear so indistinctly the voice of Draco saying, "Yes, my lord,"

She opened her mouth as if an invisible hand had pulled it open but nothing came out before she saw a hand in front of her and took it, allowing the person to pull her to her feet. Ginny saw purple eyes looking into hers and felt the fog begin to clear from them as things came into focus.

The woman held her arm still and pulled Ginny with her behind her curtain which held a door. The woman pulled her inside and told her to wait for her to come back.

Ginny was scared and only nodded blankly, her brain trying to grasp still what was happening. She was disoriented.

Ebony closed the door and pulled the curtain in front of it before she resumed her seat beside Hermione. Hermione shot her a questioning gaze but she said nothing.

Now was not the time. Another deatheater came forward and took off their mask. It was Draco Malfoy. He grinned evilly at Hermione before he bowed and kissed Voldemort's robes.

"What is it Malfoy?" he asked.

"My Lord I have a wedding gift for you," he answered.

Hermione felt her stomach twist in knots. A wedding gift from Malfoy would definitely not be something good, though it was Voldemort, so maybe he wanted to impress him.

Draco smiled that evil grin as the doors opened and the deatheaters parted. Hermione could see the three bodies floating and knew that whoever the people were, that they were probably dead.

Hermione saw Ebony stiffen beside her and stand. The bodies of the three people were dumped before them.

"My Lord, the third is but a causality that interfered with the others," Draco said.

Hermione looked around Ebony and saw a man and a woman battered, tortured, and dead. The other woman was dead and that was it, killed by Avada Kedarva. She felt horrible for them, whoever they were.

A glint of gold caught her eye and she leaned closer. Later, she would always wish she hadn't. A golden necklace, splattered with dried blood hung at the woman's neck. But at the end of it hung a golden J, it was the necklace that Hermione had given her mum for Christmas.

Hermione heard someone screaming before she realized that she was the one screaming. She could see Draco's mouth twisted in an evil smile. She wanted to kill him, to do what he did to her parents.

"This meeting is over," Voldemort called out.

The deatheaters bowed before they began to leave. Draco stood still in his spot. "My Lord, do you like my present?" he asked.

"I said that the meeting was over, that means that you get out of my sight!" Voldemort yelled.

Draco bowed before he rushed off.

"Hermione," Ebony said.

"Go, go talk to Snape, please leave me," Hermione said.

Ebony nodded and rushed off to speak with her uncle. Hermione could hear the sound of Voldemort's footsteps as he neared her but she didn't even look up.

They couldn't really be dead? No, this wasn't really happening; it was all just a dark nightmare.

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and pinched herself hard. She slowly opened her eyes to see it wasn't a nightmare that this was truly happening.

She felt the cool touch of Voldemort's hand as he laid it on her shoulder. She realized then that she hadn't known what war was. She hadn't known the true dangers, the true loss of war until now.

She was married to the enemy and her parents were dead, killed by a boy that had hated her in school for her blood.

Hermione's eyes shifted to the third body, she hadn't really looked at it. She put her hand to her mouth as she saw the dead body of Tonks. Tonks had been young and carefree and now she was dead, it made Hermione glad to think that Tonks tried to save her parents.

Hermione looked up as she saw Ebony come back. She saw Ebony look to Voldemort.

"Yes, she is," was all Ebony said.

"Who is what?" Hermione asked confused.

Ebony looked up at Voldemort before looking to Hermione. She felt Voldemort take her hand in his and lead her to her chair.

"It is about Ginevra; the truth is that Ginevra isn't one of my deatheaters. She's under imperius by Malfoy. I wouldn't allow her to be a deatheater because she is a strong girl and it would be dangerous for her to know our secrets, though the imperius was lifted from her when I tortured her for that brief moment," Voldemort said.

"She didn't really betray the Order or her family?" Hermione asked.

"No," Ebony spoke up.

"I recruit followers but I wouldn't allow Ginevra to become a deatheater because of the fact that I know she is very much behind Dumbledore. If she were joining me willingly, yes perhaps. I'm not taking chances this time," Voldemort said.

"And as Ginny is under imperius, she can't tell us anything of the Order, though Malfoy doesn't know that. But she is now my charge," Ebony said.

Hermione was completely stunned, that would be the only word for it. She saw Voldemort stand. "I'm going to deal with Malfoy, as I know he is still here."

Hermione knew he was probably going to torture Malfoy but Hermione didn't have the strength to think of anything. And at least Voldemort was acting normal again or at least in her eyes…

**12 Grimmuald Place, The Order of the Phoenix**

Serveus Snape walked into the kitchen at 12 Grimmuald Place to find the entire Order and Potter and Weasley waiting

Dumbledore stood, "Good you are here Serveus, we just inducted Harry and Ron into the Order, now you can tell us what happened at the meeting."

Dumbledore took a seat as Serveus cleared his throat. "Well, the meeting was interesting to say the least. The Dark Lord brought his new wife, Hermione to the meeting along with his daughter, Ebony. Then Miss Weasley was revealed as a deatheater," Snape was cut off by cries of protest at such a thing.

Harry spoke up. "Everyone be quiet, there is more to the story," he said.

"Well, the Dark Queen and Miss Weasley exchanged a few words before Miss Weasley went to strike the Dark Queen. The Dark Lord then used Crucio on her. Ebony took her away before returning and then it went to worse. Draco Malfoy brought a _present_ for the new married couple but instead it was Mr. and Mrs. Granger and Tonks," Snape said.

"Wait, did you say that Hermione is married to You-Know-Who?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Yes, but you were right, Albus, she was drugged with the potion," Snape said.

Dumbledore turned to him. "Did you speak with her?" he asked.

"No, I spoke to Ebony. She told me to say several important things, first, Albus, the prophesy is in motion and will not be stopped until completion," Snape said.

Dumbledore breathed out a long breath. "But she has to love him and to bear his child," Dumbledore said.

Snape nodded. "And she will, it doesn't matter how long it takes, it will happen."

Everyone in the room looked confused but Snape continued, "Also, it appears that Miss Weasley was under the Imperius curse courtesy of Draco Malfoy. And she isn't a true deatheater."

"Wait, hold up, what who will fall in love with who and bear whose child?" Ron asked.

Dumbledore sighed. "There was a prophesy made several years ago by a girl named Ebony Riddle. It was very surprising to say the least when she did it. But, it involved her father and she didn't want him to get a hold of it but he did. She asked me if it would ever come true and I replied that it would but only if it were set in motion and it is in motion," Dumbledore said.

"What is the prophesy?" Harry asked quietly, thinking of his own.

Dumbledore brought the Pensive they kept in the kitchen out and put it onto the table. He drew a memory from his head and let it swirl in the bowl then he touched it with his wand.

Two images rose up, one of Dumbledore looking much like he did now and one of a tall, pretty and petite girl.

"For a man of Darkness…A wife for him he must have…

That loves him with her heart and gives her soul of both… Too soon it happens but all is well…

And a light shall shine forth…"

The voice of the girl died into nothingness and the memory disappeared. There was silence in the kitchen.

"What does it mean?" Harry asked quietly.

"It means that Voldemort will marry, his wife will either love him already or grow to love him and they will have a child, however, the last two lines are unclear, even Ebony does not what they mean," Dumbledore said.

"Wait, isn't Hermione married to You-Know-Who" Ron asked.

"Yes, she is the one the prophesy talks of," Dumbledore replied.

There was a long silence in the room. The bright, smart witch that they knew had to fulfill a prophesy and she was married to an evil wizard. Who would have thought such a thing would happen to Hermione?

**A/N: I'm really sorry it took me so long to update but I kept changing it as I didn't like. I hope you liked the chapter and I'll start trying to write the eighth one!**


	8. Truths

**A/N: Ok, this chapter is a little shorter. The next one will be longer I promise. Well, I hope you like...

* * *

**

Love and Betrayal

Ebony watched Hermione silently. Hermione sat in the chair, staring at the dead bodies with a look of sadness, shock and realization. Ebony breathed out a long breath before she walked up to Hermione.

"Come, you need to go back to your room," Ebony said to Hermione, taking her hand.

Hermione nodded and gave one last look at the bodies before she followed Ebony to the room.

"I'll be back later Hermione," Ebony said quietly.

"Alright Ebony, are you going to visit Ginny?"

"Yes," Ebony replied and smiled before she closed the door behind her.

Ebony made her way back to the gathering room and into the room that Ginny was in.

"Hello," Ginny greeted.

"I see you have regained your memory," Ebony said.

"Yes, I killed…Hermione's parents," Ginny said, raising a hand to her mouth as tears began to pour forth.

"_You_ killed Hermione's parents?"

"I was under the Imperius, I just remembered now, I can't believe that I would ever do such a thing, I loved Mr. and Mrs. Granger." Ginny sobbed.

Ebony went over to Ginny and hugged her. "It will be alright, Hermione already knows."

Ginny looked up through her hair, "You mean she knows I killed her parents, does she hate me?"

"She doesn't know you killed them, she thinks that Draco did, though technically he did as he was controlling you, Draco presented them as a wedding present."

"Yes, I heard about Hermione marrying Voldemort, why? Hasn't she betrayed the Order?"

"No, he slipped her a potion quite like Imperius and married her."

"I have to talk to her, she has to know everything, I can't let Hermione hate me, wait, where am I?"

"You are at Voldemort's headquarters. My father, you do know that right?"

"Yes, I remember, you're Ebony Riddle, but wait, I'm a deatheater."

"You're not, I promise, the tattoo is a fake, it looks like the Dark Mark at first glance but if you look closely you will find the differences, Voldemort isn't stupid enough to make you a deatheater, he knows that you are strongly behind Dumbledore and you've been finding Imperius."

"But Ebony, I need to tell Hermione everything, please, she's like the sister I never had."

Ebony smiled and hugged Ginny again. "I know, come on, I'll take you to her."

* * *

Silence reined over 12 Grimmuald Place. Everyone there was mulling over the interesting news, the fact that Hermione had her own battle to fight, to fulfill a prophesy.

Harry and Ron sat silently in their shared room, left to their own thoughts. Finally, Ron spoke, "I can't believe that Hermione is married to You-Know-Who."

"Yes, it is surprising Ron and she is part of a prophesy, I'm worried about her."

"Harry, she can take care of herself, though I am still worried about her too."

"I know she can take care of herself Ron, she knows many hexes and curses."

"And she can pack quite a punch and slap."

Harry chuckled. "Ah, yes the faithful encounter in third year, remember sixth year, when she punched Malfoy and he banged his head against the back of the tree and had the largest bump plus a black eye."

"Those were great memories. I'm worried about Ginny too," Ron said.

"Yes, she was under the Imperius because of Malfoy, maybe she was never in love with him."

"That would make my day, I was right in end, Malfoys never change."

"Yes, we know Ron but really, you shouldn't gloat."

"I am not gloating, just stating a fact."

Harry raised his eyebrows as Mrs. Weasley appeared, "Dinner's ready boys."

Ron's eyes lit up before he ran for the stairs and Harry lagged behind, thinking of how Hermione would constantly reprimand Ron on his eating habits.

Harry missed her; he hadn't realized how much of a great friend she was until she wasn't here. She was the brains behind everything, the logic, the one who always kept her head and told him not to do things with good reason.

Mrs. Weasley saw Harry and Ron with glum expressions and faraway looks. They were both thinking about how dinner would be if Hermione was here. Her presence was more noticeable once she wasn't there.

Tonks was gone too and it too was noticeable by the fact that she wasn't making disturbances or saying funny things, or changing her nose and hair color often and just being her bright, cheery self.

Harry used to think Tonks was sometimes annoying but now he missed her constant, cheery presence. These were dark times and he wanted someone around that was cheery even in the worst of times.

The door to the kitchen opened and Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney walked in. Ron made a grumbling noise while chewing. Harry could definitely express the same displeasure. He was happy to leave Divination behind after seventh year.

"Good evening everyone, could we join you? Albus sent us," Professor McGonagall said.

Mrs. Weasley arose from the table with a smile and ushered the two professors to sit down and help themselves to dinner.

Harry and Ron exchanged glances with each other. What were the two professors doing here?

Everyone went back to eating before Harry distinctly heard Trelawney's deep intake of breath like before she said a prophesy and apparently he wasn't the only one. Everyone turned their attention to her as she began to speak…

"She who is dark….Woe befalls her now…He only can save her…." Trelawney drew in a breath, "If too late he comes, she will be ravaged, be quick with you…."

Trelawney's head fell back before she started and went to eating. Ron closed his mouth full of food and swallowed and then glanced at Harry who was deep in thought.

"Harry?" Ron asked.

* * *

Hermione stood and went to sit on her bed. She ran her hands across the bed as she glanced around her room. She let out a sigh before she brought her wedding ring up to examine it.

It was quite a beautiful ring really with the emerald and the snakes surrounding it. Hermione started when the door opened and Draco Malfoy stepped into the room.

Hermione saw the cold, hard fury in his eyes as he shut the door behind him with a click and smirked at her. Hermione could feel her blood running cold, she glanced up at the portrait of Julianna to see her running from her frame.

Hermione didn't have any time to dwell on that as Draco advanced into the room and drew his wand. Hermione stood and knocked the wand out of his grasp and kicking it under the settee. It could buy her a bit of time.

She could see the cuts and bruises and the notes of torture on his body. She could also see the dried blood. Voldemort had obviously tortured him.

"Well, that doesn't matter, you mudblood bitch," Draco said.

Hermione walked backwards, away from him, but only ended up hitting the back of the bed, she had no escape…


	9. A Promise and Trust perhaps?

**A/N: Okay, sorry it is a little late and stuff but please forgive me. Let's see, I'm going to thank all the reviewers from the beginning that would be easier, so lets see, **_PrettyPrincess01, Raspberri13, lovenotknown, Crazy-Physco, teresita, miko101, Lone Angel, CareBearErin, rkgrl, sEmIsWeEtChOcOlAtE, F75, emmzi91, Blonde-gym-chick, cassandra evel, sweet-little-girl, wiccan-wtich88, Xmasgoose, Egyptian-Princess, gryffindor at heart, Rikki Aiken, The all mighty and powerfulM, Amy Lee, scholcomp7,Lauren, Jessica Black1, weirdpeopleandthepickle, Elizabeth, slytherinstargazing, anakin-harry, scholcomp25, candice, LivySnape, JBLMCHHLRS2004, and Rather. _**Thanks for reviewing. I hope you like thechapter. I'll get chapter 10 out sooner!**

* * *

Love and Betrayal

Hermione walked backwards, away from him, but only ended up hitting the back of the bed, she had no escape…

* * *

Draco loomed over Hermione before he pinned her to the bed. Hermione tried to push him off but he held her down strongly and he overpowered her easily. She opened her mouth to scream but he covered her mouth with his hand. She glared before she bit his hand. He pulled it back before smacking her across the face. 

He smirked at her before he lowered his mouth to her neck. Hermione tried to scoot away from him, repulsed at him but he held her firmly in place. His hands roamed over her body and Hermione moved more, trying to get away from him, from his hands.

His hands started creeping up her dress, bringing it with him and she kicked him, trying to gain some time, to get away from him. He glared at her before hitting her across the face. It momentarily stunned her and allowed him to pull her dress to her hips.

Hermione tried to kick him again but he grabbed her ankle and twisted it. Hermione felt white hot pain shoot through her leg and she cried out in pain before Draco kissed her neck again.

Hermione tried still to push him off of her, not giving up when the door opened. Draco glared at her but she yelled out and he cursed her before Voldemort stepped through the door.

He took in the scene and crossed the room to Draco and Hermione as Julianna settled back into her portrait.

"What is going on here?" he asked his rage clearly visible.

Draco stood and Voldemort could still Hermione clearly behind him, a large hand print was on her face, her dress was up to her hips and wrinkled. She had tears in her eyes and her hair was mussed.

"Well, Hermione here wanted me to…" Voldemort cut him off with as he walked forward and grabbing his robes and pulling him up.

"Really Draco, it isn't good to lie to me, I can see right through you, you were trying to rape my wife and that was obviously not what you were going to say," he hissed his voice low and hard.

Voldemort let go of Draco and he stumbled, falling to the floor. Voldemort looked at him cruelly. "Understand Draco that Hermione belongs to me and me alone, harming her will result in your death."

Voldemort watched him open his mouth and he cut him off, "You swore your allegiance to me and thus, you cannot harm Hermione, what I say goes. And you may be a deatheater but I will not hesitate to kill you. I have many other faithful deatheaters who would obey me and not question."

Draco gulped and the door opened again and Ebony and Ginny came into the room.

Ebony first fell upon Hermione, still in the same state as before and then she let her eyes rest on Voldemort and Draco. She could see Voldemort's rage in his stance and the clenching of his jaw. Draco cowered on the floor before his master. Ebony stepped forward and pointed her wand at Draco.

"How dare you!" she hissed at him in rage.

Draco raised his head to her in shock. "What are…" he began but Ebony cut him off with, "You raped her didn't you!"

Voldemort laid a hand on her shoulder, lowering her arm to her side. "He tried but no he did not, however I will not hesitate to kill him if he ever tries something like that again."

"Go, Draco!" Voldemort said to Draco.

Draco opened his mouth but he saw Voldemort looking at him expectantly and he flew out the door, not even noticing Ginny standing there or remembering that he had left his wand under the couch where Hermione had kicked it.

Ebony rushed over to Hermione and saw her ankle. She pulled out her wand and mended it easily. Hermione looked at her strangely as she put some weight on the foot. "I wanted to be a healer but alas I never was," Ebony answered Hermione's unasked question.

Hermione nodded as she gingerly walked across the room to the couch. She caught sight of Ginny. Ginny came towards her, tears already streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry Hermione!" she wailed.

Hermione looked confused as she asked, "What are you sorry for?"

Ebony came forward and put her arm around Ginny's shoulders. "Hermione, Ginny was being controlled by Malfoy as you well know but he added salt to the wound by using her to kill your parents."

Hermione gazed at them with a shocked expression as she tried to grasp this. "I'm so sorry Hermione, I'll understand if you hate me because I murdered your parents."

"No, no Ginny I don't hate you, Malfoy was controlling you and as such, he actually killed them, only using you."

Ginny smiled through her tears and ran forward to embrace Hermione. Hermione embraced Ginny back tightly, not letting her go, glad to have Ginny back as she was like a sister to her.

"I will check in later but I have other matters to attend to," Voldemort said as he walked towards the door.

He put his hand on the door when Hermione called out, "Wait!"

She bounded over to him and embraced him tightly as Ebony and Ginny exchanged looks. "Thank you, if you hadn't of come, I don't know what would have happened."

Voldemort nodded as a corner of his mouth turned up slightly then he was gone in a flurry of black robes…

* * *

"Harry?" Ron asked. 

"Hmmm," Harry replied.

"What are you thinking?"

"I think I figured it out, what Trelawney said, Hermione could be she who is dark and something bad will happen to her, though it could be Ginny, don't know who would save either one and ravaged could mean a lot of things."

"But either way they are in danger!" Ron yelled out, and everyone stopped eating to look at him.

"Ginny or Hermione could be in danger, couldn't we do something?" he added.

Professor McGonagall looked at him sternly. "We do not know where Voldemort is and as such, we cannot possibly save anyone."

"But we know a location!" Ron protested.

"Yes, we do Mr. Weasley but his hideout could be anywhere, You-Know-Who was notorious for being powerful, I would know as I was Head Girl in the same year as he."

Harry and Ron's mouth fell open in shock before they recovered. Ron sighed. "I'm worried about them both, Hermione has always been like a sister, I even liked her for a long while but it would never work out and Ginny is my sister," Ron said.

Harry nodded. "I know, neither are my sister but I care for them as such."

* * *

"Let's get into our pajamas and have a sleepover!" Ginny said excitedly. 

Ebony and Hermione laughed but all of them changed into pajamas in the closet. Ginny picked out a pair of silk pants and a shirt. Ebony opted for a very conservative and long nightgown. Hermione took the mid calf length nightgown of emerald silk.

They flopped onto the bed and Ginny sat up as she toyed with her hair. "Perhaps I should braid everyone's hair and then we can talk about men," she said eagerly.

Hermione sat up slowly from her position of hanging off the bed. "We don't have any men to talk about unless you want to discuss my husband." She stifled a giggle.

Ginny bit her lip. "Well, I'll braid everyone's hair and we'll talk about whatever as you are right, there are no men to speak about."

Ebony snorted before allowing Ginny to take her raven hair and braid it. "So, Hermione what's happened to you since you were kidnapped?" Ginny asked.

"Well, let me see, Ginny, I was kidnapped by Voldemort, he was playing with my mind or something, I had to go and meet a bunch of pureblood people that wanted to murder me at one point, I married Voldemort, I saw you and almost got raped, that about sums it up," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"You are really boring Hermione," Ginny said playfully as she finished Ebony's hair and started on her own.

Hermione's mouth dropped open. She grabbed a pillow. "I am not!" she retorted and threw the pillow.

Ginny giggled and dove behind Ebony before she finished her braid and then grabbed the pillow and threw it back at Hermione.

Hermione was hit by the pillow and fell back against the pillow in mock death before she grabbed the other pillow and threw it at Ebony. She leapt off the bed as the other two started grabbing pillows. Hermione took shelter behind the chair as they threw a pillow.

Hermione leapt up and took it before ducking again. She peeked over the edge of the chair and didn't see either Ginny or Ebony. Then she was attacked by two pillows. Hermione spun around to see Ginny and Ebony attacking her.

Hermione laughed before sprinting to the middle of the room. The other two started throwing pillows at her from behind their spot. Feathers came out of the pillows and pillows themselves were strewed around the room. Hermione threw the pillows back at them before she was attacked from behind by Ebony who was hitting her furiously. Hermione grabbed the nearest pillow and started whacking her too.

Ginny joined the fray and they continued to hit each other before the door opened. They all dropped the pillows as Voldemort stepped into the room. He looked around the room before looking at the three of them who were trying and failing to look innocent.

He smiled before he started laughing and the three of them looked confused. "Sorry, it's just that you are most likely the only three women in this entire headquarters who would initiate a pillow fight and look very disheveled," he said as he looked at them.

Hermione shrugged. "Well, we are special after all but I assume that you have come to see if Draco has made an appearance."

"No, he hasn't made an appearance, just the three of us and feather pillows though if he did come we could always whack him to death with a feather pillow," Ginny said before she burst into giggles.

"Well, then since you are well, I will leave you but I am going to lock the door," he said before he turned and walked out, pulling the door to and locking it.

Ebony looked around before pulling out her wand and cleaning the room up. Ginny yawned. "Perhaps we should go to bed," she said gesturing to the now, clean bed.

Hermione and Ebony laughed. "Sure."

The three of them bounded onto the bed and closed the curtains. They giggled as they got situated but Hermione sat up. "Wait, I have to do something."

She climbed out of bed and walked over to the vanity and picked up the box with the ruby bracelet. She gazed at the bracelet that looked back at her before she picked up and clasped it to her wrist.

Ginny poked her head out of the pillows and said, "Come on Hermione!"

Hermione smiled and climbed back into the bed and fell asleep, the bracelet on her wrist, showing maybe she might be beginning to trust Voldemort, even if it was a little…


	10. Meeting them again?

**A/N: Umm, well I'm really sorry for posting so late but it has been really hectic around my house. We're moving and my house is a mess. I have to practically wade through boxes to get to the computer and I hurt my knee playing soccer which was totally not fun. I had to go to the doctor and stuff, yuck and it hurt really bad. I feel like I'm lugging a piece of lead around for a leg though. I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner.**

**One thing about this chapter though, I think that Hermione is a bit more normal, you know. And I add Ginny everywhere, so remember that. Oh, I've just read the Sixth Harry Potter book, really interesting, I loved how he told off the new Minister, very cool. Roots for Harry!**

**Alleniah**

* * *

Hermione awoke the next morning, she supposed by the shifting of the bed. Hermione raised her head slightly to see Ebony already out of the bed and Ginny getting off. "Good morning." 

Ginny stopped and turned to her with a smile. "Good morning, Ebony thought that we would let you sleep more today as of what happened," Ginny trailed off as Hermione remembered exactly what happened the day before.

She had nearly forgotten it as Ebony and Ginny had given her a fun time but it came rolling back to her and she put her head back on the bed. She just wanted to draw the covers over her and block out everyone. It was probably one of the most traumatic experiences she had ever had.

Ginny crawled over to her and patted her head. "I'm really sorry Hermione, I didn't mean to make you upset."

Hermione smiled up at her friend. "You didn't make me upset, it's just, this is the first time I've actually had the time to think about the impact of the situation yesterday."

"I understand," Ginny murmured lightly.

Hermione hugged her best friend tightly before she climbed off the bed and plopped on the couch next to Ebony. "Good morning, Hermione."

"Morning, but what are we doing today?"

"Well, the Dark Lord has given Ginny quarters on the third floor so we may go and look at them. But you have to go and see the Deatheater Ladies again but Ginny is coming."

"I have to go see those flesh eating women again? Why?"

"Because you are the Dark Queen of course, it is your duty, though now you are titled as such; they will be trying to suck up to you."

Hermione scoffed. "Like they would, remember I'm a muggleborn and they are pureblooded elitists who think they are above everyone else, you can't really expect them to actually try to kiss my feet!"

Ebony smiled at her. "You'd be surprised, but come, get dressed, hurry up."

The three of them went into the room and Hermione searched frantically for something that was not a dress and Ebony watched her amusedly. "Really, Hermione, you're a witch, don't you think there would be a spell on this room?"

Hermione straightened up and looked at her before she groaned and thought for a moment before two pairs of jeans and shirts popped into her hands. She gave Ginny one set of the clothes and she donned the others.

"I should have thought of that," Hermione said.

"I thought that you would have. You are dealing with Voldemort and he is obsessed magic," Ebony said.

"Yes, he is obsessed, he would hate to do anything the normal way," Hermione replied.

Ginny just glanced between the two with a smile as they set off down the hall and then up a set of stairs. They passed by a door that Hermione recognized as the one leading to Voldemort's quarters. She turned away from it and followed her friends to the room. It was more of a suite with the sitting room, then bedroom and bathroom.

Hermione flopped down on the plush burgundy couch and sighed. "This is really nice," she commented lightly.

"Hermione, you know that we can't stay here all day, we have to be going to meet the ladies and you need to arrive on time," Ebony reprimanded.

"But isn't Hermione the Dark Queen? Then she should act like they aren't fit to associate with her and she should arrive later," Ginny piped up.

Ebony tilted her head to the left as she turned this over in her head before she smiled. "I think, Ginny, that you have the right idea. Voldemort does it all the time and maybe we should pay a visit to your husband…" Ebony trailed off contemplating this.

"Why would we ever go and pay a visit to my husband?" Hermione asked incredulously.

Ebony rolled her eyes. "_We_ won't be going to see him, you will. You are his wife and could get away with it," Ebony responded.

Hermione's jaw dropped open. "Absolutely not! I'm not going back to his chambers and certainly not alone, what would he think?"

"Well, exactly what everyone else would think, I think, though he does seem to think differently than most people," Ebony replied.

"I don't want him to think that at all! And I refuse to go there," Hermione protested and crossed her arms.

"Come on Hermione, the women, if they asked where you were because you were late, you could say in your husband's chambers or that you were seeing your husband. And if you had actually been to see him, that would confirm it, I'm not asking you to do anything," Ebony persisted.

Hermione sighed and looked up, "Fine, but I really don't like this."

Ebony and Ginny smiled brightly and pulled Hermione to her feet. "What? I'm going _now_?"

"Of course now, now come on," Ebony said briskly and the three of them set off. They arrived at the door to Voldemort's chambers and stopped.

Hermione turned to the two girls, "Remind me who's harebrained idea this was?

Ginny pointed to Ebony and Ebony pointed to Ginny. "I did not!" Ginny protested.

"Yes you did, you said she should show," Hermione rolled her eyes and knocked on the door and Ebony and Ginny raced around the corner and peeked around.

Voldemort answered the door and a look of surprise came over his face when he saw Hermione standing there. "Hello, can I come in?"

Voldemort nodded slightly before pulling the door open wider and allowing Hermione in before he closed it with a snap.

Voldemort turned around and leaned against the door. "Now, exactly why are you here, Hermione?"

"I came to see you," Hermione answered simply.

"Yes and you do that often, my dear, now why are you here?" Voldemort persisted.

Hermione rolled her eyes and turned to face him. "Well, truth be told, I'm trying to get out of going to see those ladies."

Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "Ah yes, the ladies, unfortunately you are still going because you are the Dark Queen and it is expected of you."

Hermione smiled slightly and sat down in a chair before the table. There was no way she wanted to go to that meeting. And he was telling her it was expected of her? Hermione mentally snorted.

"Where are Ebony and Ginevra?"

"In Ginny's quarters, where do you think?"

"Well, then I will take you to the meeting as they are not here," Voldemort said.

Hermione stood and walked over to him, "Why do you insist upon me going?"

"I just do," he answered.

"I could always just stay here," Hermione walked closer to him and she saw him swallow heavily.

"I wouldn't recommend that."

"Of course," Hermione said as she touched his shoulder ever so slightly, her sleeve going up to reveal the bracelet.

Voldemort looked at it with interest and a smirk. "I see that you trust me," he said lightly before he bent his head. "What are you doing?" Hermione asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "I thought you trusted me?"

"Right, I trust you a bit but not that much, you might kiss me," Hermione protested, crossing her arms.

"You are my wife," Voldemort countered.

"Yes, I know this unfortunately, really I have this huge ring on my left hand finger, it's not that hard to miss actually," Hermione said sarcastically.

Voldemort shook his head and pulled out his wand. Hermione's eyes went wide and she backed away from him. He merely waved his wand, muttered something and Hermione stopped, from shock. She was now in a long black gown that hung low on her. She wore a ruby necklace to complement her bracelet and a golden band held back her hair.

Voldemort took her arm and pulled her out of his chamber and down the hallway and then a right turn and then another hallway. Finally he stopped and opened the door to the room. All the women looked towards the door and many looked surprised to see Voldemort.

They all bowed and Voldemort kissed Hermione on the cheek goodbye before he left and closed the door behind him. Ebony hurried over to Hermione as the women began to rise. "Thank all that you are here, now that's what I call late,"

"Yes, I agree with Ebony, maybe you overdid it," Ginny added.

Hermione rolled her eyes. My Lady," Bellatrix said as she came out of nowhere, "I congratulate you on your marriage to _my_ lord."

Hermione looked at her before she smiled, "I never realized that he belonged to you. He is my husband after all, so then he would belong to me of course, hmm," before she walked off.

Ebony caught up with Hermione with Ginny in tow. "That was brilliant, you should have seen her face, she was completely stunned that you said such a thing!"

"Well, I believe she wanted to be his mistress but Voldemort turned her down," Ebony confided, "Though I wonder why."

"Doesn't she have a husband?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, Rodolphus Lestrange, but apparently she wants to be an even more loyal servant, though I think it irks her that you are Voldemort's wife. They all think that you two have consummated the marriage and that seems to make her angry," Ebony said.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"I think that Bellatrix prefers Voldemort. He is very powerful and dominating man but he doesn't have parents and he isn't a pureblood, the elitist purebloods can't arrange a marriage between them. Rodolphus is a man who would follow people and he certainly seems to obey his wife's wishes but Bellatrix never complains because arranged marriages are commonplace and women understand this and accept it. But since she wanted Voldemort, she is jealous of you because you are intimate with him and he turned her down to be his mistress," Ebony explained.

"Oh, ok, but I've never been," Hermione was cut off by a taunting voice, "Never what, my lady," It was Bellatrix.

Hermione had to think quickly. She certainly couldn't say the truth, that just wouldn't work at all but what would she say?

"I've never been completely flabbergasted before from learning so much about you. I hear that my dear husband turned you down to be his mistress," Hermione said with a smile. Payback was completely in order for her killing Sirius.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. "I know about your marriage, the truth actually, aren't you angry, don't you hate him?" she hissed.

Hermione was surprised but it didn't show on her face. "Does it look like it?" she asked with a glare.

Bellatrix huffed before she stormed off and Narcissa went after her. "Well, that was certainly interesting," Ginny began.

"Of course it was, though I wonder why Hermione was acting like that." Ebony said pointedly.

"Well, she deserved it. I don't have a wand, only words so I'll pay her back for the murder of Sirius, and you know she deserves it. And I certainly am not going to tell her the truth about anything," Hermione answered.

Ginny whispered something to Ebony and she nodded and cleared her throat. "Look, Hermione I hate to actually suggest this but it might be for the best, well it will happen eventually anyways, but I think you need to consummate the marriage so you don't have to lie anymore and you will anyways, Voldemort certainly isn't going to let the marriage just dissolve into nothingness but you could actually hold power," she said really fast.

Hermione stopped walking and looked at her. "You have to be joking me, you are right?" she asks.

"No, you can't keep this up forever and Voldemort will consummate the marriage one way or another and the prophesy will come true, Hermione, you will bear his child," she said.

Hermione suddenly felt faint. She knew of course the prophesy was going to come true and she had been strong but now she finally realized that she was married to Voldemort of all people and that her life had been practically taken from her hands by a prophesy. She definitely felt for Harry right now. She would have Voldemort's child in the end.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ebony asked.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked.

But Hermione swayed before she passed out…


	11. Hermione's Awakening

**A/N: **Yes I know that I haven't updated, yes bad me but I've been busy getting ready for school and now I'm in school. This is my first year of high school, at Hoover and that school is massive, and I'm not joking. My legs hurt from going from the first floor to the second floor to the third floor, down to first, up to second, you get the point. I'll try to update more but I can't promise anything, sorry but I will try and this answers some questions!

Oh and Voldemort does look like when he was younger, just to clarify and I put that in here, I just call him Voldemort because that makes things easier right now. Moreover, yeah this doesn't follow along with the sixth book, though I don't seem to like it as much. Oh and must thank the reviewers. If I forget anyone, just tell me and I'll put you in next time! Leanna, tracy, SJSweetie, XxDarkFirexX, PinkGrenade, Mia08, waterbaby, wiccan-witch88, Mereret, Lone Angel, nione, Revenge, miko101, sweet-little-girl, Cocoa-Cola, Crazy-Physco, lovenotknown, GryffindorBabex13, CareBearErin, Sesshomaru-is-my-master. Thanks for reviewing! I love reading reviews, just so you know!

Alright, now that I have rambled, I will continue onto the story…

* * *

Hermione wondered vaguely why her head hurt…and a lot. She turned her head and moaned a bit from pain in her head. She seriously wondered if she had been hit by a bus, or maybe just her head, it certainly felt like it. 

She moaned again opened her eyes, slowly, until she saw that she was laying on a couch, in front of a fireplace, but the only problem was that she had no clue where she. Hermione shifted and lifted a hand to her head to feel a bandage there. She almost jumped when she heard an oh so familiar voice say, "I see that you're awake."

Hermione didn't even try to look at him, she didn't feel like it really and he would probably come into her visage and then she would have to see him and she was right. He moved into her view and smiled slightly seeing her glaring at him.

"Oh course I'm awake, it's certainly not like I sleep with my eyes open," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, well you gave Ebony and Ginevra quite a scare passing out like that. In addition, unfortunately there was no one there to catch you and you fell hard onto the marble floor, hurting your head in the process. Ginevra came to get me and here you are," Voldemort said with a smirk.

Hermione sighed in relief that he hadn't asked why she had passed out, now that was something she really didn't wish to speak about with Voldemort of all people. He certainly didn't need to know something like that though she recalled Ebony's words about the fact that Voldemort wouldn't let the marriage dissolve into nothingness. She was right on that account, though it pained Hermione to admit it.

"Oh, and tell me exactly why you passed out? Ginevra only said that the three of you were discussing some things and then you passed out, would you care to explain? Whatever could you have been speaking of?"

Hermione swallowed hard. Think of a lie, think of a lie, her brain was telling her. There was no way she would really tell him what they were truly speaking about, would she?

"Well, you," Hermione said before her brain could stop her.

Voldemort looked surprised for a moment before his features settled once more into their emotionless mask. "Me? And explain how that makes you pass out."

"It's complicated, really but uh," Hermione said but Voldemort held up a hand.

"I told you to tell me, now tell me, it's is more than likely not that complicated," he said forcefully.

Hermione glared at him before hefting herself into a sitting position, ignoring the throbbing in her head and leaned close to his face before she said, "You won't tell me what I will and will not do, remember that, Voldemort."

"I can guess actually, I heard a few of Ginevra's thoughts, you were speaking of consummating the marriage, now how does that relate to your fainting? And my dear, I did hear about you telling Bellatrix that I belonged to you."

Hermione leaned against the back of the couch, away from Voldemort. "Well, yes we were discussing consummating the marriage, well actually my friends were saying I should consummate it because you won't let it resolve and it will happen anyways," Hermione said grudgingly.

Voldemort laid a hand on her leg and leaned closer to her, his black hair falling over his eye and said, "Yes, I would never let this marriage dissolve, remember that, Hermione, you will belong to me one way or another in the end."

Hermione shivered at his words but pushed his hand off her leg, glaring at him in the process. "Why did Ginny come and get you?"

"I am your husband," Voldemort answered simply.

"Well, if that's all, how did you find out about what I said to Bellatrix," Hermione ventured.

"She told me actually, it really seemed to irritate her, and you apparently rubbed salt into the wound by bringing up the fact that I wouldn't accept her as my mistress," Voldemort said with a smile.

"But why?" Hermione asked and Voldemort lifted a brow, "Not accept her as your mistress," Hermione clarified.

"Ah, yes that, well it is difficult to explain to you my dear, but I may try, Bellatrix is a faithful follower, I'll give her that but that's all I ever thought of her, I was quite surprised when she asked such a thing and I immediately said the first thing in my mind, no and it's always been that way," Voldemort said.

"But why would anyone want to be your mistress or be in a bed with you?" Hermione asked but soon regretted it.

Voldemort leaned over her, his hands running through her hair and over her legs and a smirk appeared on his lips. "Would you like to find out, my dearest?"

Hermione pushed him off with a roll of her eyes. "What do you think?"

He sat back with an amused smirk, "I'll take that as a no then, but you will find out in the end for you are my wife and have quite the privilege."

"Oh yes, quite the privilege that is, but I don't doubt that you've been married several times," Hermione said.

Voldemort turned his head towards her and Hermione couldn't really read his expression. "No, I've never been married before. I never wanted the responsibility, before, women can be tiring and annoying," he said, flitting his fingers over her bare calf.

Hermione shivered at the touch before she looked down to see that she was no longer in the gown from earlier but in a short nightgown and a long, black robe. Voldemort looked up at her and said, "Ebony brought you nightclothes, you will be staying here and changed you. The gown had blood on it from where you bled, as do my robes."

Hermione nodded as a knock sounded from the other room. Voldemort rose to his feet and disappeared through the door of the room and Hermione looked around. She realized with a jolt that she was in Voldemort's bedroom of all places. She stood holding her head slightly before she walked to the slightly ajar door.

She opened it and stood against it, allowing her robe to show more of her nightgown and her unclothed body. The person at the door turned towards her and Hermione realized that it was Bellatrix and that Voldemort was holding onto the door and had a smirk upon his face.

Bellatrix glared at her before saying in a tight voice, "I'll be leaving then, my lord."

She turned and walked off in huff and after she disappeared around the corner, Voldemort started laughing before he shut the door.

"Whatever is so funny?" Hermione asked.

"She was hoping again to be my mistress but I am actually going to thank you for showing up at the door, you are my wife after all," he said as he walked to her and linked his arm around her waist, before pulling her into the bedroom and closing the door behind him.

Hermione whirled around to see him leaning against the door, blocking her exit. "I could always escape once you're asleep," Hermione said loftily.

"Yes, I wouldn't put such a thing past you, my dearest," Voldemort purred against her ear, his breath feathering over her skin.

Hermione felt something run through her at the touch, at the feeling of it and stepped back, away from such emotions that he seemed to invoke. Voldemort raised a brow at her but merely watched the emotions that crossed Hermione's face.

She swallowed and tried to breathe normally before she calmly raised her eyes to his face as he stepped closer to her. He ran a hand along her jaw line and Hermione finally asked, finding her voice, "What are you doing?"

"Do you mean what I am doing or what I am doing to you?"

"Both," Hermione answered as she closed her eyes at his touch again.

"Nothing, my dearest, merely claiming you as my own," he said in a low voice, finally closing the space between them and lowering his mouth to her neck.

Hermione ran her hands over his body, clad only in pants and a loosely buttoned shirt. She ripped the shirt apart from his body and ran her hands over his bare chest and back, savoring the feel of his skin beneath her fingers.

He picked her up and she saw clearly that his eyes were a scarlet and blue mix, flowing with emotions in their depths, but yet Hermione couldn't discern them at all. She was jolted literally as she was laid upon the bed. She felt the coarseness of the velvet beneath her before looking up in Voldemort's handsome face as he too climbed into the bed. He turned and yanked the curtains shut…

* * *

Hermione awoke the next morning, wrapped in the emerald sheets. She casually opened her eyes and was confused for a moment as she looked around before it came back to her. She sat up quickly, holding the sheet to her before she looked to the other side of the bed. 

It was empty but a note lay upon the pillow. Hermione picked it up and slowly unfurled it, her gut clenching at the fact that she had let what had happened happen. She wanted to literally curl up and die at such a thing. Her marriage was here to stay, and that was horrible to her in every way. Moreover, she could be pregnant.

Hermione chose to push that thought from her mind and look down at the scroll in her hands.

_Hermione,_

_I had to leave on business. I will be back later._

_Lord Voldemort_

Hermione set the scroll down and slowly got out of the bed, finding her robe from the floor and slipping it around her nude body. She walked shakily towards the door and looked around for signs of people before she raced towards her room and when she got there, she firmly secured the door and leaned against it.

As she was leaning against it, she felt the throbbing in her head return. She had forgotten that she had hurt her head but yesterday. Now look at the predicament she was, she thought miserably.

She pushed herself off the door and walked to the closet, slowly and wished for some jeans and a shirt. They appeared in her hands and she went into the bathroom where she ran a bath and put some lavender oil into it. She slowly climbed in and felt herself relax a bit.

Thirty minutes later she climbed from the bath and donned the clothes she had and walked from the bathroom. She realized that she was still wearing the ruby bracelet, the one that Voldemort had given her. She looked down at it and felt anger seize her. She tore the bracelet from her wrist and threw it against the wall in a fit of rage.

She calmed herself down, taking deep breaths and slowly picked the bracelet up. Throwing a bracelet wouldn't solve anything, she told herself firmly. There really was no way out of this situation which bothered her to no end. In addition, the man she was married to was an evil wizard bent upon world domination, now that was something. Nevertheless, why was he married to her?

She remembered the night before when he had told her that he had never married before because he didn't want the responsibility. Did he suddenly decide he wanted it? However, why choose her of all people, she was a muggle-born, why not a pureblood? Hermione sighed, frustrated at her lack of knowledge on this. She liked to be well informed and she was mostly in the dark about this situation.

Hermione sighed softly and flopped onto her bed…

* * *

Harry and Ron sat in the kitchen, playing wizard's chess and as usual, Harry was losing miserably to Ron. Ron was taking Harry's knight when Fleur burst into the room. Ron looked up and turned a pink color, though of course not as bad as it used to be and Harry looked up too. 

"What is it, Fleur?" Harry asked.

"I 'ave zis from work!" Fleur said excitedly.

"What is it?" Mrs. Weasley asked, coming into the kitchen.

"It is You-Know-Who and Her-" she was cut off by Mrs. Weasley snatching the document from Fleur's hand.

Harry and Ron watched as Mrs. Weasley's face changed to one of horror and shock. She looked very pale as she dropped the document, which fluttered close to Ron. He bent and retrieved it, intent upon finding out what it was. Harry looked over his shoulder to see Hermione and Voldemort's marriage contract, it was an old pureblood tradition apparently and the worst part was that at the bottom left corner was a stamped mark that read: _CONSUMMATED_

Ron's face went a white shade and Harry asked quietly, "What is wrong?"

"This is an old pureblood ritual that when consummated, you cannot get out of, you are bound for life," Ron whispered quietly.

Harry almost felt his blood run cold at the words. Hermione was bound to Voldemort for life? Well, he would just kill Voldemort and Hermione would be free. Wait, consummated!

Harry almost fell out of his chair as he thought about it. Actually, he was trying to push that thought out of his mind, because seriously, he didn't want to know about that but he did want to know what Hermione was thinking or if something had happened to her.

Dumbledore was called immediately to Grimmuald Place and he looked upon the document with a grim face. "This is a legal document, it is true that is has been consummated and nothing can be done, however, I will need to speak to Ebony," he said.

* * *

Ebony paced Ginny's sitting room as Ginny watched her go back and forth. They had gone to Hermione's room early that morning to see her but she wasn't there and her bed looked like it hadn't been slept in. "Are we going back down there?" Ginny asked. 

Ebony stopped her pacing and nodded and they set off for Hermione's room. They tried to open the door but it had been locked from the inside. "Hermione!" Ebony called out.

A muffled voice replied, "Go away, I don't wish to see you or anyone else for that matter."

Ebony and Ginny exchanged looks and Ebony asked, "What's wrong Hermione and where were you last night?"

"What do you mean?" came the muffled and panicked voice behind the door.

"Didn't Vol-" Ebony stopped as she realized exactly what had happened, not that it was a truly good thing because Hermione seemed to have barricaded herself in her room and locked the door, which Ebony could not open by magic.

"Come on, Ginny, we have a visit to pay someone," Ebony said grimly before she started towards the third floor.

Ginny followed behind her and Ebony knocked on the door leading to his chambers. Voldemort answered the door though he seemed a bit surprised that Ebony and Ginny were standing there.

Ebony smirked at his before brushing past him into the room, pulling Ginny with her. "Expecting someone else?"

"Yes, actually," Voldemort replied, reclining against the door.

"Oh, well you won't see her because she's in her room," Ebony said with a smirk.

"And how did you deduce that it was Hermione?"

"Well, she barricaded herself in there and won't speak to anyone and she was last with you. Now if you put two and two together, you get that you consummated the marriage," Ebony said, her eyes boring into Voldemort's.

Voldemort met her gaze and replied, "Yes, actually it did happen."

"But you weren't here this morning were you? I would deduce not for Hermione barricaded herself in the room and truly, if you had been here, that would not have happened."

"No, I was not here this morning, to confirm your suspicions. I had some important business to attend to," Voldemort answered her.

Ebony looked at him with a disgusted look. "I thought of course that you loved her, but then again, I could be wrong," she said before opening the door and pulling Ginny out with her.

Ebony walked along at a fast pace, her anger going into her steps as she stormed towards Hermione's room, intent upon speaking to her and she had left that book with the prophesy in there and if Hermione was pregnant, it would show up there and that would not be a good thing…


	12. A Ball? And Incidents

**A/N: **I know I haven't updated in awhile and I'm sorry. But I just got caught up in being in high school, grades, football games, pep rallies, guys, did I mention guys and homecoming is in a month and we'll beat Pelham High School, so yeah, anyways, I hope you like this chapter and I'll have the next out sooner.

* * *

Hermione lay on her bed, in a half-sleep, her thoughts a swirl of incomprehension. She heard vaguely, though it sounded a bit hazy through her sleep, a knock sounding at the door. She slowly opened her eyes, and blearily blinked before sitting up from the bed. She called out, "Who's there?"

"Ebony and Ginny, please let us in, I've figured out what happened, please," Ebony pleaded.

Hermione felt tears pricking at the back of her eyelids but she furiously blinked them away, refusing to cry. She slowly got off her bed and walked to the door and swung it open.

Ebony and Ginny hurriedly came inside and Hermione shut the door behind them and securing it again. When she turned, she saw that Ginny had a bewildered look on her face and Ebony looked sad.

"I figured out what happened, Hermione, I-" Hermione cut Ebony off.

"You've said as much and if you understand how I feel, you don't. I'm now officially married, bound to a man that I have no wish to be with. In addition, it cannot be broken if only by death. I have had one of the largest decisions of my life taken from me, decided for me; do you know how that feels?"

"Yes in way. Perhaps not in marriage Hermione, but I could never be a normal person, I could never be in the Ministry because of who I am. This is the life I can have because of who my father is. The Ministry would never trust me and as such, neither would other such institutions. I tried to be a Healer, I had the education and the knowledge but they denied me. They were telling me that because of my parentage, I could not have that job, of course not in some many words but I knew what they meant," Ebony said heatedly.

Hermione stared at Ebony with different eyes. She had never known what Ebony had gone through. Compared to her life, Ebony's was harder, a lot like Harry's though on the difference of extreme. Hermione had grown up as a muggle before going into some sort of fantasy world that turned out to be not quite the fantasy, what with battling a dark lord and other such dark beasts and evil, conniving people, Hermione knew her life hadn't been easy but Ebony had never had an easy life.

Hermione remembered when she went to Hogwarts and she was ostracized because of her birth, because she was a muggle-born and didn't have the magical heritage and background. She remembered how that had hurt and how she worked towards rights of others, including herself. There were too many prejudices in the Wizarding World and they held women back too much. Well, women who were smart and purebloods weren't held back but they were often rare. Most pureblooded women married the elite men of their society circles and stayed at home, never lifting a finger for a thing and definitely not working.

Hermione turned away from Ebony and Ginny to face her bed when her eyes fell upon the brown leather journal. The one which held the prophesy and her fear reared its head once more. Could she truly be pregnant? The book held that answer and she needed it.

Hermione hadn't realized that Ebony was watching her and being faster, reached the journal before Hermione did. Hermione glared at her, holding out her hand and demanding the journal to be given to her.

Ebony merely ignored her and flipped open the book to see the prophesy and seeing the lines of the prophesy as they were fulfilled. Ebony had become engrossed in the book and didn't even realize that Hermione had gained an advantage until she plucked the journal from Ebony's hands and neatly turned it to face her.

Then it fell from Hermione's hands as she read the truth, the truth that she was indeed already pregnant with Voldemort's child. Hermione soon followed the book to the ground, lying there, clutching her stomach and staring at the journal with a chalk white face.

"No, that isn't true," Hermione, said in a shaky voice.

Ebony knelt down on her knees, her face level with Hermione as she looked in Hermione eyes. "A prophesy never lies. It self-updates. If another had written the prophesy then it would merely say the words but since I wrote it and I made the prophesy, it has magic and power behind it."

Ginny walked over and hugged Hermione tightly. Hermione seemed to come from her stupor and clung to Ginny's robes, a numb, strange feeling encompassing her.

A knock sounded on the door and everyone looked up. Hermione let go of Ginny's robes and Ginny sat down next to her and Ebony got up and answered the door. Voldemort flounced into the room with several house elves following him.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, looking towards Hermione.

"Hermione is only feeling…sick," Ebony said, drawing out the words before sick.

Hermione glanced up at Voldemort; anger filling her body as she took in how calm and cool he looked, as if nothing had happened at all.

Voldemort nodded slightly before gesturing backwards towards the house elves. "There is a ball tonight and since Hermione is the Dark Queen she will attend the ball. These house elves here have the gowns which you will wear. In addition, jewelry and other things that you will need. I will come back to get Hermione and the two of you at promptly 7:00."

Voldemort turned on his heel and walked out of the room, leaving the three surprised women and scared house elves. They dropped the gowns, jewelry and other things into Ebony arms before scurrying away.

Ebony sighed softly and closed the door before locking it with a strong locking term that she invented. "Well then, let's find out what we'll be wearing," Ebony said, walking towards the gowns.

"You aren't truly serious?" Hermione asked with a look of shock.

Ebony turned to face her. "Of course I'm serious Hermione, something is certainly up with Voldemort, if you understand me and I don't believe that right now would be a good time to cross him."

Ebony held up the first gown, a long silk and chiffon confection of blue with off the shoulder straps. "Hmm, I wonder who this is for."

Ebony sighed and set it aside before holding up the next gown, another long gown made of purple velvet and three quarter length bell shaped sleeves.

The last gown was a long, satin burgundy gown that had beautiful full skirt. The front of the gown had off the shoulder straps that were quite thin. The front was rather modest it seemed, having a higher neckline than the other gowns but the back plunged down. A small note was attached to it that said this would be Hermione's gown.

Hermione looked with distaste at it. "That? Are you certain? There is no way I'm going to wear that thing!"

Ebony rolled her eyes. "I'll wear the purple gown, Ginny if you want the blue."

"That's a perfect arrangement. The purple will set off your eyes and the blue accents my fair skin. Now, Hermione's gown sets off her fair skin and dark hair."

"I could care less, because I certainly don't want to go to a ball."

"I know that Hermione, but please, try to work with us."

Hermione crossed her arms over her rumpled clothes as she weighed her two options of going along with this and actually having some fun and then not going along with it. "Do you know anything of the balls?" Ebony asked, interrupting Hermione's train of thoughts.

"No."

"Well, then I will tell you and you might as well know more of the duties of the Dark Queen and what is expected of her, I suppose you could say."

"The balls are grand affairs, though I believe Voldemort only ever holds them as social gatherings because the ladies speak of them incessantly. But Voldemort always opens the first dance and as such you will be dancing with him now as the Dark Queen."

"Oh and the duties of the Dark Queen or things entailed to you with said title. Well, you do have to oversee the ladies meetings, you sometimes sit in on the deatheaters meetings, you sit by Voldemort, and you dance every first dance with him. Moreover, for every event, you will be right there. Now for the powers given to you as the wife of Voldemort. Well, the deatheaters will listen to you and worship you as they do Voldemort. The women will look to you for guidance and the best part is that you may snub any person you wish and they can do nothing about it."

"Really?" Hermione asked in an eager voice.

Ginny giggled. "Do you really want to lord over them?" she asked.

"Wouldn't you? They've always treated me as if I was less than them and now I am higher than they are in a sense."

"I suppose, Hermione. I never was a muggleborn though people have always called the Weasley's blood traitors and they say that is nearly as bad as muggleborns," Ginny said.

"Fine, I'll go along with it," Hermione gave in.

Ebony smiled widely and then nodded to Ginny. They grabbed her arm and pulled her into the bathroom while Ebony covered all the mirrors with a spell. They dragged the gowns, jewelry and other things into the bathroom while rummaging through the cosmetics, scents, potions, oils and other things on the shelves and cabinets. "Well, we certainly have enough things to work with," Ebony commented with a smile as she looked through some scents.

Hermione rolled her eyes before Ebony and Ginny started to pull her rumpled clothes off of her. "What are you doing?"

"You're getting a bath."

"Are you saying that I stink?"

"No, Hermione but you'll smell nice once we add some of this scents or oils."

Ebony ran a warm bath while dumping an oil or scent into the bath. She wouldn't tell Hermione what it was, saying that it should be surprise for her to figure out herself. Hermione slipped into the bath, having finally consented to it.

Hermione soaked luxuriously in her bath for half an hour before she was pulled from the bath by her friends. They dressed her up in the gown before pushing her into the chair in front of the mirror, not that Hermione could see herself. Ginny and Ebony were muttering behind her before they performed a spell that made Hermione's hair dry.

Then they began to pull her hair back and brush it. Hermione could only feel what they were doing. They held up her hair before slipping something around her head. Then she felt them pulling on her hair then she felt them securing it close to her head.

Hermione lifted her hand to touch her hair but Ebony pulled her hand away and gave her a reproving glance. They turned her around in the chair and powdered her face. Then they slid some light eye shadow over her lids. Lastly, they covered her full lips with lipstick.

Ebony went over to the jewelry and gowns and picked up a beautiful necklace with black diamonds it seemed on it. She secured the necklace around Hermione's neck and Ginny and Ebony stepped back to look at her.

Ebony looked down and noticed that Hermione wasn't wearing any shoes and quickly slid some silver shoes onto her feet. Ginny held out her hand and Hermione stood up and Ebony took the charm off the mirror. Hermione turned around and looked into the mirror at herself.

It was like looking at a completely different person, really. Hermione thought that in a way, she really did look like a Dark Queen with her dark gown that set off her chestnut hair and fair skin.

Ebony and Ginny smiled at her before they began to change into their gowns, doing their hair and putting light makeup onto their faces. Ebony's gown was the lowest cut and Hermione noticed that Ebony wore a long silver chain around her neck with a light blue disk at the bottom of it. Ebony noticed her looking and quickly slipped into her gown and away from view.

Hermione shook her head just as the clock chimed 7:00 from the hallway. "Hermione, will you go answer the door?" Ebony asked as someone knocked.

"No."

Ebony sighed as they heard a bang. The three women looked at one another before Ebony waved her wand to make the room clean again and then they ran into the bedroom. Voldemort stood in the room, holding Hermione's ruby bracelet with his wand out. The door behind him was hanging oddly on its hinges. He wore long black dress robes and his black hair was meticulous. "My Hermione, why aren't you wearing the bracelet I gave you?" he asked in a smooth, low and dangerous voice.

Hermione walked up to him and his blue eyes observed her. "Because you gave me that bracelet and I told you that I would wear it when I trusted you."

He said nothing but pocketed the bracelet and pulled out a blue stoned ring set on a silver band. He took Hermione's hand and shoved the ring on her middle right finger. The ring immediately sized to her finger and small writing appeared around the back. Hermione wrenched her hand away and then tried to pull the ring off but it wouldn't budge a bit.

Voldemort took her arm and looped it through his own before he leaned close and whispered in her ear, "That ring won't come off."

"I've noticed," Hermione replied dryly as they walked out the door with Ebony and Ginny following.

He led her down a dizzying array of hallways before they reached large wooden doors that opened of their own accord. It seemed that conversation had been going on inside the ballroom but as Voldemort and Hermione entered, silence filled the ring and everyone began to bow as they walked past them. Voldemort led Hermione to the dance floor it seemed and the people stopped bowing and scurried backwards.

Voldemort let go of Hermione's arm and took her hand in his own and resting his other on her hip. She rests hers on his shoulder. The music started and Voldemort began to lead Hermione across the floor, gliding easily and effortlessly.

Hermione glanced around her to see people in dress robes, most very elegant and exquisite. Most of the dancers and other people wore masks but still others wore none at all. Most of the people not wearing masks, Hermione didn't recognize.

Hermione noticed also that the deatheaters, those wearing masks she guessed, were watching herself and Voldemort closely. "They're watching us," she whispered.

He spun her out a bit before replying against her neck, "I know my dearest."

"Would you stop calling me that?" Hermione hissed through a clenched smile.

Voldemort raised a brow before saying, "This is not the place to discuss such matters. You will act like the perfect wife and not let my followers know a thing," he said, resting his cheek against hers and whispering into her ear.

Hermione glared briefly and she felt Voldemort's arm tighten around her to show his displeasure. Hermione turned her head away from him and Voldemort smirked delicately. Voldemort let his hands trail down…Hermione wanted to slap him but immediately pushed down the urge, remembering where they were. She also fought down emotions that seemed to erupt just from his touch.

Ebony watched Hermione and Voldemort dance from the shadows of the ballroom; she could tell that they were having an argument, something not readily noticed by the others. It was quite obvious in the way that Hermione held herself that she was uncomfortable and something was clearly bothering her. However, Voldemort, Ebony couldn't quite figure out. It seemed that he was pleased about something, but what that something was, was a completely different matter.

Ebony felt a soft heat against her chest and looked down at her dress. The front of her gown was glowing blue and she turned away quickly before hurrying away, further into the shadows and out of the ballroom…

Hermione and Voldemort finally ended their dance and Voldemort led Hermione to two chairs upon a dais. He pushed her lightly into the one on the left before taking his own seat in the right. Hermione observed that more people began to dance. Moreover, the people without masks were making their way towards the dais.

The first man, who got there, wore expensive looking dress robes and his brown hair was long and pulled back. He had a rather demanding, and intimidating. He looked at Hermione leeringly before he turned his attention to Voldemort and bowed low.

"My lord," he said in a French accented voice.

"Arnaud Laurent. I don't believe that you have met my wife and the Dark Queen, Hermione."

"No, I have not had the pleasure of greeting the lovely lady," Arnaud said with a grin.

Hermione smiled back and said, "It is quite the pleasure to meet you also, Mr. Laurent."

"No, no, such a beautiful creature such as you should not say such things. It is an honor really to meet the wife of Lord Voldemort."

Hermione felt like rolling her eyes at this man's pathetic attempt to charm her. Just then, Ebony appeared at her side. Hermione glanced at her before looking back to Arnaud. To her surprise, Arnaud at paled at seeing Ebony and he looked a bit green.

"Excuse me, my lord," Arnaud said, "I must speak with Lucius."

He fled towards the blond man across the room and Hermione watched him go with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

She glanced back to Ebony and saw that Ebony's face was quite stony and angry looking, her eyes still glaring at the fleeing back of Arnaud.

"I must go find Ginny," Hermione said suddenly, standing.

Voldemort spared her a glance before saying, "Alright, but come back in at least an hour."

Hermione nodded and pulled Ebony towards the shadows of the ballroom. "What is going on?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"You cannot tell me nothing, I saw how Arnaud looked at you, as if he were afraid, which I might add, he could be."

"What are you speaking of?" Ebony asked.

"Ebony, there is no use to change the subject, tell me what is wrong."

Ebony sighed. "I will tell you…but, I'm not ready now. I just, I can't talk about it."

Hermione nodded. "I'm not pressuring you, but I am here for you, that is what friends are for."

Ebony smiled slightly and the two women went off to look for Ginny…

* * *

Hermione walked back to the dais chair with Ginny at her side, sometime later. She took her seat, glad that Voldemort was occupied…by Bellatrix no less. However, Hermione thought, Bellatrix looked a bit like a vampire with her overly pale skin, black hair, sunken features and black dress robes. Ginny tapped Hermione on the shoulder and pointed in front of her.

Hermione looked to see Lucius Malfoy bowing. "My lady," he greeted.

"My husband is occupied," Hermione replied coldly, wishing to have nothing to do with a Malfoy.

Lucius glared at her turned cheek, not realizing that Hermione was watching him from the corner of her eye. He looked like he was trying to keep his temper in check and breathed out heavily.

"Actually, my lady, I was hoping that you would wish to dance with me?"

"Well," Hermione was cut off by a high-pitched scream.

Lucius eyes widened as if he recognized the sound and Hermione looked at him curiously but Ginny furiously tapped her on her shoulder. "I can't find Ebony!"

"What!" Hermione yelled, jumping from her chair.

She glared at Lucius as she remembered the events of the night. Ginny grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the doors, from which the scream came, out of the ballroom. However, someone sealed the doors shut. Hermione looked back to see Lucius advancing. He slipped his wand into his robes.

"It would seem that your rather dear friend didn't go along with the plan."

Hermione felt almost rather than saw Ginny disappear from her side. Malfoy was grinning maliciously. "I will make sure that you pay and Ebony pays for the torture that my son went through."

"Arnaud," Hermione said.

"How very intelligent of you, mudblood."

"Boo-hoo, Malfoy," Ginny said, pointing his wand at himself, "It would seem that you are going to lose," she pointed the wand at the door, unlocking it before stunning Lucius.

Hermione and Ginny ran out the door, Ginny still clutching the wand at her side. They found Arnaud and Ebony in the hallway, Ebony's gown in tatters, the front of it ripped so badly that the blue disk necklace shone against her porcelain skin.

Arnaud smirked and tried to touch the necklace but something kept his hand away and a burn mark appeared. Ginny hexed him very fast and stunned him. Hermione ran to Ebony's side and Ginny undid the silencing charm on her. Ebony collapsed against Hermione in hysterics.

There was a commotion as people began to spill out into the hallway, trying to see what was wrong but Voldemort pushed through them and surveyed the scene. "Go on up to your room, Hermione," he said.

"Now, for you," he said, turning his eyes to Arnaud who looked scared.

Hermione and Ginny made it up to Hermione's room and Ebony had calmed down. "Hermione, Arnaud tried to do that before, but I hexed him, rather horribly I might add to get away but Lucius and he set this up, I know it. You have to get away, Hermione before they get their revenge, please."

"But-" Hermione started.

"No, that wand of Draco's is still under the settee; take it once it is dark and go down to the first floor. Turn left and follow the passageway to the end. There is a door there which will lead out into a forest and from there you can get back to the Order. They know of your marriage anyways."

"How?"

"They will tell you," Ebony said as she slipped a nightgown over her head, and threw one to Ginny. She gave Hermione a long dress that could double as a nightgown.

"I don't understand, why would Lucius and Arnaud try something like that under Voldemort's nose and why would they try to do something to me, I am Voldemort's wife."

"That's the point though, they knew about Voldemort's plan to marry you, they both knew. However, they don't know that Voldemort truly does love you and that he would kill them, follower or not for you, they think Voldemort is above that, above human," Ebony said.

"Voldemort loves me?"

"I believe so, he has never actually said such a thing out loud but from his actions and his body language, I do believe that he loves you," Ebony said.

Hermione smiled slightly though she felt something in her heart at those words. She brushed it off as guilt because he loved her and she was running away from him….


	13. Consequences

**A/N: I am so sorry for not updating sooner but I got really busy. I hope you like this chapter and I hope to update again this week. I can't promise that because I have practice and classes and school and stuff but I'll try!**

A loud gonging noise rang throughout the Manor. Someone shook Hermione awake and she blearily looked at them before recognizing Ebony bending over her. "Hermione, you have to leave now," she said quietly.

Hermione groaned slightly at being awoken but sat up and looked for the time. "It's 2:00 in the morning," Ginny supplied from beside her.

"2:00 in the morning! Have you gone mad Ebony?" Hermione cried.

"No, besides no one is out in the halls at 2:00, now come on now, here's Draco's wand from beneath the sofa," Ebony said gently, pushing the wand into Hermione's hand.

"What's the wand for if no one is in the halls?" Hermione asked, holding the wand lightly in her hand.

"You might need it. Maybe not inside the manor but outside of it," Ebony answered with a roll of her eyes.

Hermione climbed from the bed and sighed, squaring her shoulders. That same feeling in her stomach overwhelmed her again as she thought about leaving Voldemort but she fought it back, saying to herself that she had no time for guilt.

"Go on, we'll be going to sleep," Ebony whispered.

Hermione nodded and opened the door which had yet to be fixed and glanced back at her friends before closing it again. She walked towards the stairs and looked around. It was silent in the manor and now that it was dark, it seemed much larger.

The moon shone through the window at the far end of the hallway, casting light across the floor while the rest of it was cloaked in darkness. Hermione involuntarily shivered before starting down the stairs.

She made sure not to make one bit of noise and when she finally reached the bottom of the steps after what seemed hours she breathed out before walking out into the hallway. She was at a fork in the path. She looked down the right and saw a cloaked figure with their back to her leaning casually against the wall.

Hermione felt her heart rate speed up and she almost forgot to breathe. She quickly looked to the left and scurried into the shadows of the hallway on the left side. She watched the cloaked figure for a few minutes before she turned and walked towards the door at the end of the hallway.

She glanced back before carefully opening the door and walking inside. It was a long winding staircase of stone. She breathed out before closing the door and pitching the stairway into blackness.

Hermione waited a few minutes for her eyes to accustom to the darkness before she started down the staircase, using the wall to her right for support. It was covered in slime and cobwebs and Hermione swore she heard something moving. She continued on in this fashion for some time before she came to the end of the staircase.

There, Hermione stopped and said, "Lumos." The tip of the wand lighted up and it cast a small light on the stone walls and the floor. Hermione held it out in front of her and walked along easily.

She had just rounded a corner when she swore that she heard footsteps behind her. Hermione's heart beat speeded up as she slowly turned but before she could see the person in her beam of light, she felt something hit her and she knew only blackness…

Hermione opened her eyes and was assaulted with light. She quickly shut her eyes again as the sound of voices drifted into her hearing range. Hermione opened her eyes again and sat up slowly, feeling dizzy. The room came into focus and she realized that she was surrounded by green.

Hermione climbed out of the bed she was in and glanced around. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she realized that she was in Voldemort's room. She crept towards the door as she heard voices come from behind it.

"Could either one of you tell me how she escaped?" Voldemort asked Ebony and Bellatrix, obvious irritation showing in his voice.

"Ask her, she would know," Bellatrix accused.

"You found her, tell me why don't you?" Ebony retorted coolly.

"She had a wand and obviously it is Ebony's," Bellatrix said handing the wand to Voldemort.

"If you haven't noticed, that is Draco's wand and he is your nephew. Obviously it was there from when Draco tried to rape Hermione."

"He doesn't need a mudblood, he has better people to turn to," Bellatrix said with a turn of her nose.

Ebony eyed her distastefully before saying, "Are you insinuating that-"

"ENOUGH!" Voldemort yelled.

"You may leave Bellatrix however, Ebony and Ginevra you will remain here for we must discuss Hermione's new arrangements."

Bellatrix smirked at Ebony as she left, slamming the door behind her. "We are going to speak with Hermione," Voldemort said, standing.

Hermione looked like a deer in headlights and she raced back to the bed, though she personally didn't wish to ever see _that_ bed again and pulled the covers over her. Voldemort entered the room along with Ebony and Ginny.

"I know that you're awake," Voldemort said, an amused tone in his voice.

Hermione let out a frustrated sigh and sat up in the bed, still clutching the covers over her body defensively.

Hermione glanced to Ebony as Voldemort sat on the edge of the bed. She could see the hopelessness and utter despair in Ebony's eyes as she looked at Hermione. Hermione knew then that any other plans of escape weren't going to work at all. She knew she had failed beyond all belief and she wondered exactly what was going to happen to her. New arrangements didn't sound very encouraging at all.

Hermione tore her eyes from Ebony's face to look at Voldemort. He was regarding her with an almost Cheshire grin and that startled Hermione. "You do realize, my dearest Hermione," Voldemort purred, "that there are consequences of trying to escape."

Consequences? Hermione's mind whirred with possibilities and she jumped slightly as Voldemort reached out and pulled her towards him. Hermione struggled against his strong arms as he leaned his head close to her ear, his hands trailing lightly over the silk fabric of her nightgown to rest on her hips.

"You, my dearest, cannot obviously be trusted to remain inside your room without a guard. That in itself presents a problem but I have a solution. You will move in these chambers and the problem is solved."

Hermione almost stopped breathing. Move into these chambers? She didn't want to live in the same room with Voldemort, and obviously since there was one bed she would be sharing that with him also. Hermione remembered to breathe but she felt tears collect against the back of her eyes.

"In these chambers?" Ebony echoed, her voice holding a slightly surprised note.

"Yes, these chambers. There is an extra bedroom off the sitting area and that will be your bedroom, unless of course, my dearest, you wish to remain with me," he whispered against her skin.

"I'll take the bedroom if you please," Hermione replied, struggling from his arms.

Voldemort smirked slightly at her before saying, "Of course but my followers shall not know that we do not share a bedroom."

Voldemort stood suddenly then, pulling Hermione along with him, then against his body. She didn't like the way he held her possessively, she wasn't some sort of property and she certainly didn't like being treated like that. However, she reflected on it, she was more of a doll to him than property. A sudden grin lit up her face at the idea of Voldemort carrying a doll around.

"What ever is it that you find amusing," he whispered in her ear.

"Oh, nothing," she said in a sing-song voice.

He gave her a suspicious look before saying, "I suppose I shall show you to your new bedroom."

Voldemort walked from the room and Ebony and Ginny followed. He walked to a blank stretch of wall only flanked on one side with a bookcase. He elegantly tapped his wand against the wall and with surprise on Hermione's part and Ginny's did a door appear.

Voldemort grabbed hold of the doorknob and threw it open, allowing the women to enter and then he closed it behind him.

The room they were in had beautiful mahogany flooring and a large fireplace stood towards the end of the room. However, what amazed Hermione was that the room had everything in it from the previous room she had inhabited. The large bed stood off to the side of the room and the settee and one chair flanked the sofa. The vanity was closest to her with the ruby bracelet on top of it.

Voldemort spotted it and walked over to it. He held it in his hands and examined it. There was a slight imperfection on one of the stones, marring its beauty. His lithe hands slid over the stones, almost caressing it with his fingers.

"I do wonder how this…marring of the stone came about," he said, his voice a low purr.

Hermione didn't seem to realize the danger, or even if she did, her brain surely didn't register it for she replied, "Perhaps it was when I threw it again the wall."

Voldemort's hand closed tightly around the bracelet, his eyes flashing scarlet as his body stiffened. Hermione realized exactly what she said and knew then that she was treading on dangerous waters that could very swallow her whole.

Abruptly Voldemort slammed the bracelet down on the vanity top, the loud sound of the metal and wood echoing in the silent room. The ruby that had been marred lay broken on the table top and the H that designated her name had been broken off. That same indescribable feeling engulfed Hermione again, as when she had tried to escape. It confused her however, as there was nothing to be guilty of.

Voldemort glanced at Hermione and she briefly caught his eyes, in which a torrent of emotions was reflected, making his eyes look like stormy waters. The emotions being exposed there made him more human and perhaps, Hermione pondered, that was why he constantly kept them hidden. He turned his face away from her and she could clearly see him clenching his jaw.

His strode past her then and she could almost feel the anger flowing through his veins. Hermione moved towards him, intent upon knowing why his moods changed so quickly. Ebony caught her arm and shot her a warning glance. Voldemort left the room then, slamming the door behind him, rattling the walls.

"You should leave him for now," Ebony said quietly, staring at the door as if sensing Hermione's thoughts.

"Why should I? He has no reason to be angry just because I threw the bracelet again the wall."

Ebony turned her eyes towards Hermione then. "Be that as it may, he is angry beyond a belief and therefore, it is advisable to stay away from him when he's angry."

"I can handle myself just fine. He doesn't frighten me," Hermione replied indigently.

"He may not frighten you normally but he is angry and therefore quite rash when he's angry."

Hermione merely nodded, finding that she no longer wished to argue with Ebony. "I believe that I would like to rearrange the room a bit," she said musingly.

"I do have a wand, though you do not. We can decorate it," Ebony suggested.

Hermione grinned and they moved the room around a bit to make it more cozy and inviting. The coloring of the room was changed to lavender and cream and they kept the mahogany of the furniture. A large rug was placed in the center of the room and they placed pillows on the settee and chairs.

They found little trinkets and other valuable little things in the drawers of the vanity, desk and night tables. After they finished, the room looked more cozy and womanly.

"I must leave now for I must speak with my uncle," Ebony said with a smile.

Hermione nodded and Ebony left. Hermione stared at the fire before she was certain Ebony was gone. She walked from the room and watched the door disappear behind her with awe.

Hermione stopped in front of the door to Voldemort's room before opening it and peeking her head inside...


	14. New Knowledge Gained

**Chapter 14**

"She tried to escape."

"She did?"

Ebony nodded. "After the ball I persuaded her that it would be in her best interest to leave. I gave her an old wand and she slipped out in the wee hours of the morning but, Bellatrix stopped her and Voldemort has her under close watch now."

Everyone was silent as they digested Ebony's words. Hermione had tried to escape but she was bound to Voldemort for life.

"Erm, why did Hermione, erm, you know?" Harry asked blushing profusely.

Ebony raised a brow at him. "You'll have to ask Hermione, I hardly know what goes on in her mind."

Ron opened and closed his mouth a few times before going silent. "He has become possessive," Severus finally spoke.

"Possessive?" Harry asked.

"You-Know-Who has always laid claim to what he believed what his own. I remember that from when I went to school to him. He was highly possessive and demanding and if he believed that you would take something that belonged to him, well you had better watch out," Professor McGonagall said.

"He thinks of Hermione as his _property_!" Ron roared in anger.

"Yes, Weasley he does," Severus sneered.

"She's a human being, not a piece of property, not an object. How dare he, how," Ron trailed off, his face red with rage.

Harry laid a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down Ron. I know this is upsetting but what do you expect from Voldemort?"

Ron returned to his seat, wondering when he had jumped out of it and tried to control his anger that was threatening to erupt at the words that Snape said. Poor Hermione.

"I would love to go and give You-Know-Who a piece of my mind. Hex him into the next century maybe," Ron said.

Harry raised a brow. "I'm sure Hermione can take care of herself, Ron."

"She doesn't need protection from Voldemort, she needs it from Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange," Ebony cut in.

Harry and Ron's heads whipped around to look at her. "What?"

"Voldemort would do anything for Hermione except letting her go. She has him wrapped around her finger even though she doesn't know that. Lucius hates me and he hates Hermione because she's a muggle born. He probably also hates her because she could get him to do anything and she is the Dark Queen. Bellatrix hates her because she always wanted to be the Dark Queen and Hermione is a muggle born."

"What about Voldemort though?"

"They'll strike when they think that they can. Never underestimate them."

"What do you mean?"

"We were wrong about who was controlling Ginny. The entire time and she never knew."

"What?"

* * *

Hermione was surprised when she saw that Voldemort was asleep, sprawled over the bed. She bit her lip, debating with herself if she should go inside or not. This was like the chance of a lifetime, who ever got to see the might Dark Lord asleep?

Hermione tiptoed across the plush carpet, careful not to make any noise. Hermione was surprised when she got a good look at Voldemort. He looked so peaceful and…innocent in his sleep. His hair had fallen over his forehead haphazardly and to Hermione it gave him an adorable boyish quality.

She pushed the unruly hair away from his forehead and then quickly withdrew her hand. What was she thinking? She started to slowly back away from the bed and was almost to the door when she heard him say, "Exactly where are you going?"

Hermione spun around and looked like a deer caught in headlights as she saw that Voldemort was leaning one elbow on the bed as he eyed her. Her eyes zeroed in on his shirt that was slightly unbuttoned and was exposing some of his chest.

"I-I-I, um I was going back to my rooms," Hermione stuttered, wondering what was wrong with her for the second time that day.

"Really?"

"Erm, yes."

Voldemort rose from the bed like a graceful tiger and strode towards her with a predatory gaze. Hermione gulped and backed towards the door, hoping to slip out and go back to her bedroom. However, she accidentally backed against the door, making it close.

Voldemort smirked at her. "It looks like you're trapped here with me."

He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her forcefully as he brought her closer to him. Hermione ran her fingers through his silky black hair. He pulled back and let his lips glide over her jaw then her neck sensuously. Hermione moaned against his hair and tried to pull him closer.

"My Lord?"

Voldemort groaned as he pulled away from Hermione. He opened the door to see Lucius standing there.

"My Lord, might I crave a word with you?"

"Yes," replied Voldemort tersely.

"My Lord, might I inquire why you are in such disarray?"

"I was with my wife."

Lucius looked disgusted but followed Voldemort as he led him into the library.

Hermione sighed against the door thankful that Lucius interrupted them. What had she been thinking?

"_He is your husband?" one part of her brain whispered._

"_Yes but he's the Dark Lord, you know Voldemort, that guy," the other part retorted._

"_He's definitely yummy."_

"_Oh please."_

"_You know it's true and you want him."_

"_No I don't, that's just wrong."_

"_Uh huh, keep telling yourself that."_

"_I could give you a long list of things that he's done."_

"_Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself more than me."_

"_Argh."_

"I'm seriously deranged, I'm having an argument with myself," Hermione mumbled before she realized she was still in Voldemort's bedroom.

She peeked out through the crack in the door and noticed the door to the library was still closed. She opened the door wider to admit her then closed it before darting across the sitting room to the door that led to the hallway.

Hermione supposed that she should go see Ginny and get away from Voldemort. She opened the door and strolled down the hallway until she reached Ginny's door.

She could hear voices inside and she thought that there was a male baritone somewhere in the mix. What male would be in Ginny's room?

Hermione opened the door and looked inside. Only Ginny was in the sitting room, so where did the other voices come from.

"Hermione, why are you here? Is something wrong?" Ginny asked, rushing over to her.

"Oh no, just, I think I'm mad."

Ginny cocked her head to the side as she raised a brow. "Really, how?"

"I was having an argument with myself."

"Over what?"

"Well," Hermione blushed as the memory of what happened came unbidden to her mind.

Ginny raised a brow at Hermione's reaction but said nothing. "Well, I went to go talk to Voldemort after I made him angry. When I entered the room he was asleep and I brushed some hair off his forehead. By the time I was at the door, he had woken up and he advanced at me and we, well, we kissed and stuff. But then Malfoy intervened."

"Malfoy?"

"Lucius Malfoy."

Ginny nodded.

"So, when Voldemort and Malfoy went into the library I left to come see you."

Hermione was certain that she heard voices again in the next room. "What is that?"

"What is what?" Ginny asked innocently.

Hermione narrowed her eyes on her. "Erm Ebony," Ginny called.

The door opened and Ebony came out followed by a male. Hermione wondered who it was until she got a good look at him. It was Draco Malfoy.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Hermione demanded.

* * *

A/N: And that's the end of Chapter 14. I hoped that everyone liked it. Thanks to all my reviewers and I'm sorry for the lateness of the chapter. And look, it's not a cliffhanger! 


	15. A Plan

**Author's Note: Here is Chapter 15, and that might have been a cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter. There isn't one here! Thanks to everyone reviewing, you're the greatest, look I uploaded another chapter the next day!**

**Chapter 15**

"Now, what was it that you wanted Lucius?" Voldemort spun around to face the man with anger evident on his face.

"My lord, my lord, I merely wished to discuss your _wife_."

"My wife?"

"Yes, I-Are you going to fix your state of disarray my lord?"

Voldemort narrowed his eyes at Lucius and Lucius cowered slightly. "No."

"Of course, my lord, I was merely suggesting."

"Of course you were," Voldemort intoned, still glaring.

"As I was saying, I wished to ask why you wanted the muggleborn whore for your wife when you could have had a good upstanding pureblood woman!"

"Never speak of my wife in that way again, do you understand!" Voldemort said, flying at Lucius and holding him up by the throat.

"Yes, I am sorry, most sorry," Lucius choked out although he hardly meant it.

Voldemort dropped him unceremoniously back on the floor. "You didn't mean that apology but I know that you shall not find my next punishment for you will be to your liking if you insult my wife again."

Lucius tightened his jaw and stood. "She was Potter and Weasley's whore, what do you find in her?"

"She was never Potter or Weasley's whore, she belongs to no one but me; do you understand that?"

"_She holds too much power over him; I'll certainly have to do something about that. I cannot believe that I apologized earlier when he was choking me. Malfoys do not apologize!"_

"I asked you a question!"

"Yes, of course my lord," Lucius said, cursing himself for a moment.

"Now, get out of my sight!"

Lucius bowed to Voldemort before he walked purposely from the library, throwing a sneer at Voldemort's bedroom door for good measure, certain that Hermione was behind it.

Voldemort left the library behind Lucius and strode towards his bedroom. There was something wrong. He tilted his head to look at the door and realized that it was closed, not slightly cracked as he had left it.

Voldemort turned the knob and opened the door. He had suspected that he wouldn't see her.

"_Where has she gone?"_

"_Probably to her rooms, duh," his other voice responded sarcastically._

Voldemort strode over to the blank stretch of wall and put his wand against it. The door appeared and he yanked it open only to find that no one was in the room.

"_It does look nice."_

"_Well, if you like purple."_

"_No one asked for your opinion."_

"_Yes, but I'm your other conscious, it's my job to give you my opinion!"_

"_Right, well where is Hermione?"_

"_Ooh, looks like someone is getting possessive. _

"_I want my wife."_

"_Now, now don't pout, it's unbecoming. She probably went to Ginevra's chambers, they're on this floor."_

"_I knew that."_

"_Sure you did."_

"_Shut-up."_

* * *

"What the hell is he doing here?" Hermione demanded. 

Ebony fidgeted a bit with her dress, not meeting Hermione's eyes. "Well?"

"Why doesn't everyone sit down and we can calmly discuss this," Ginny said.

"This is not a time to play host, Ginny, I want to know why he is here?" Hermione folded her arms over her chest.

"You might want to sit down Hermione."

"I'll stand thank you," Hermione replied stubbornly.

Ebony sighed at Hermione's behavior. "I found out that we were wrong this entire time. It wasn't Draco that was controlling Ginny with the Imperious like we thought."

"Then who was?"

"I'm getting to that. It ties to something else."

"Really, well you haven't explained why he's here."

"I said I'm getting to that Hermione!"

"I generally don't like people that try to rape me," Hermione said.

"Well, there's more to this story. When we believed that Draco was the one that was controlling Ginny with the Imperious, we thought he had betrayed the Order and was evil himself, well he's not."

"What?" Hermione sank down onto the couch.

"Yes, exactly. I realized that something was wrong with Draco when he tried to rape you. I've known Draco for years and I've never known him to try to rape someone, it was a bit strange to say the least."

"There's always a first time for everything," Hermione retorted, glaring at Draco.

"Draco was being controlled by the imperious curse."

"How do you know?" Hermione asked.

"I broke the hold that it had over him," Ebony supplied.

"How?"

"Now is not the time to explain that Hermione. Did Voldemort let you come here?"

"Um, well he was with Lucius in his library," Hermione said, her face turning red.

Ebony narrowed her eyes. "Why didn't you go in the library and ask him to come here?"

"He kissed Hermione and did unspeakable things to her," Ginny supplied.

Hermione's mouth fell open in shock. "Ginny!"

"Well, that's what you told me."

Ebony bit her lip in an attempt not to smile. Hermione's reaction was rather funny.

"This isn't about me, this is about Ginny and Draco, now who put them under the imperious or actually, was it two people?"

"It was one person. Lucius Malfoy."

"What!"

* * *

Voldemort heard Hermione surprised shriek and swiftly went to open the door to Ginny's chambers. 

"Hello Hermione," he said as he surveyed the three women in there.

He saw Hermione stiffen before she turned around. Her jaw hung open as she noticed that he was still in the same state of disarray. "You left without permission."

"What are you my parent?"

"I'm your husband."

"You're acting like my father."

Voldemort's lips thinned. "We're leaving," he said, grabbing Hermione's arm.

"We must certainly are not!" Hermione retorted, "I have to ask Ebony something."

"Then go ahead."

"In the next room."

Voldemort reluctantly relinquished his hold on Hermione so she could follow Ebony into the next room.

"What did you have to ask me?"

"Absolutely nothing, but what about Lucius?"

"I have a plan."

"A plan?"

"Draco and Ginny already know the plan so don't worry about that."

"I wasn't worried about that."

"Right, anyways, you can never be alone, except when you're in Voldemort's chambers but if he has to leave, come to Ginny's chambers."

"Why?"

"That way Lucius and Bellatrix cannot catch you alone and potentially harm you. Draco, Ginny and I will always be with you."

"I absolutely refuse to be alone with Draco."

"He's trustworthy."

"He'll have to prove it," Hermione said with a tone of finality.

"Fine, but well, I know this is a lot to ask of you but could you maybe ask Voldemort to give you a wand?"

"Are you mad? He'll never give me a wand!"

"Make a bargain, or something, this is for your own protection."

Hermione sighed. "I suppose."

"Excellent. Also come here every afternoon. I'm going to teach you, Draco and Ginny how to overcome the imperious curse and to hopefully learn some Occlumency."

"Really?"

"It'll give us the element of surprise against them. We have to protect ourselves now."

Hermione nodded. "What do I tell Voldemort?"

A smirk blossomed on Ebony's face. "Tell him that your question was regarding womanly things. He'll never ask further unless he goes into your mind."

Hermione stifled a laugh. "Thanks Ebony."

"You're Welcome; now go on before he blasts down that door."

"He wouldn't!"

"He would, more than likely. Never underestimate him."

Hermione laughed and opened the door to find Voldemort standing there brooding darkly.

"Let's go."

"I'm coming! Bye Ginny."

"Bye Hermione," Ginny voice floated out into the hall.

When they got back to Voldemort's chambers, he turned on her. "Don't leave the chambers again without my permission."

"Why is that?"

"I want to make sure you won't escape."

Hermione laughed. "Like I'm going to do that? You overestimate me. When I failed at escaping the first time I knew it would be fruitless to try again. I'm not stupid."

"You sometimes act like it!"

"Are you insulting my intelligence?"

"Yes, I do believe I am."

"How dare you? You-Argh!" Hermione stomped off to her room in a rage.

"_That rotten, evil, cruel, bastard!"_

"_You forgot handsome, on fire, good at kissing…"_

"_Those don't apply to him."_

"_Sure they don't. I suppose there's something wrong with your eyes?"_

"_There is absolutely nothing wrong with my eyes."_

"_Then admit that you think he's handsome, good-looking, any sort of adjective that applies to him looking good."_

"_Absolutely not!"_

"_You know you want to say it. Come on. What about when he kissed you and you melted into his arms. See, that means he's good at kissing."_

"_La, la, la, I don't here you."_

"_Sure you don't but you just don't want to admit that he's good at kissing."_

"ARGH, shut-up!"

"_Oh, did I say that out loud!"_

"_Yes, unfortunately."_

"How can I shut-up as you so eloquently put it if I'm not talking?"

"I don't know, just; just leave me alone right now!" Hermione weakly yelled back.

_"_Uh_, why me!"_


	16. The Wand

A/N: Finally, an update. Sorry you guys!

**Chapter 16**

Hermione sighed, laying down her brush. She stared into her vanity mirror, her mind lost in thought as to her dilemma with the wand. She knew that she should get a wand at least to protect herself but she knew also that it wouldn't be easy. Voldemort hadn't exactly been pleased after he caught her which could be evidenced from her new room in his apartments. If she took it from his point of view, it was unlikely he would actually give her the wand if only to keep her from escaping.

However, Hermione wasn't about to give up. At least not without a fight. She had to try. Ebony was counting her and so was Ginny and Draco. Hermione summoned all of that courage that had initially put her into Gryffindor and swept from the room. Hermione stopped short though when she realized that Voldemort's bedroom door was still firmly closed and that only a flickering bit of light shone from beneath his doorway.

She bit her lip as she weighed her options. She could go into the room, even after what happened the other day or…she could turn and sprint back to her room like a coward. Hermione certainly was no coward therefore she chose the first option. She rushed into Voldemort's room and shut the door behind her with a snap. She looked around the room, noticing that the flickering light she had seen beneath the door had been the few candles spread over the room.

With only the small bit of light being thrown around, it cast the room into half light of shadows and strange shapes. Hermione crept forward, her head swinging from side to side, hoping that Voldemort wasn't in the shadows, ready to pounce upon her at any second. Hermione stopped by the bed and nearly shrieked when warm arms snaked around her waist.

"Hello my dear."

Hermione turned her head to see Voldemort behind her, his eyes the only visible part of his body in the near darkness. They glittered with amusement and something that Hermione couldn't place. She never could read his eyes and in some ways it really bothered her. She supposed that what people said was true. Your eyes could be the windows into your soul, if you actually let people see what was there.

Voldemort's wand floated from nowhere but then a few more candles lit up the room and Hermione shrieked, turning around in embarrassment. "Are you quite alright dear?"

Hermione took a few careful, calming breaths before turning to face him again. With the added light in the room she could clearly see his dark wet hair hanging limply against his head and the water that coursed down his bare chest to disappear beneath the artfully slung towel about his waist. Hermione's eyes strayed to one of the water droplets, watching it carve down his skin and disappear beneath the towel.

Her cheeks lighted with embarrassment when she realized with a start that she been staring at his _private _area. She brought her eyes up to Voldemort's eyes and noticed that he was watching her with bemusement, his arms crossed over his chest. "I find your modesty most endearing especially when you've seen **everything**."

The embarrassment in Hermione's cheeks suffused, replaced with righteous anger. "How dare you throw that in my face!"

"I wasn't my dearest, I was merely pointing out a fact."

Hermione continued glaring at him, knowing somewhere deep inside of her that her anger was undeserved. There should have been no shame in a simple act but yet for some reason she found it to be so. Everything about Voldemort made her temper rise to the surface or made her change moods like the wind. It was annoying but she had no control over her own being for taking offense at simple words.

Voldemort still stood in the same spot when Hermione had successfully composed herself. She was a little annoyed at how unaffected he always seemed but tried to brush it off. It would do no good to start an argument. "Now, would you care to explain why you came? I hardly would believe that you came to see me as your husband," Voldemort said.

"I was wondering if I might ask a favor of you."

Voldemort raised a brow and stepped closer to her, his towel swinging dangerously. Hermione watched it, afraid it would suddenly drop. "Focused on that again are we?"

"Are you going to dress?"

"Is this bothering you?" he asked, gesturing to the towel.

"No," Hermione lied.

Voldemort quirked a brow as if he didn't quite believe her and turned abruptly. He disappeared back into the bathroom and Hermione looked around the room, with the new candles allowing her to see more of it. It looked to be in a state of disarray. Things had been pulled out and smashed against the wall and a chair was hanging haphazardly upon its side. Hermione had crossed towards it when Voldemort's voice stopped her.

"So exactly what was that favor that you wanted to ask about?"

Hermione spun on her heel and her eyes widened at the sight of his partially unbuttoned shirt which showed his fair chest off to advantage. Hermione forced her eyes upward, refusing for an instant to be caught staring. Voldemort didn't seem to have noticed, thankfully but he was patiently waiting for her answer to his question.

"I wanted to ask if I might have a wand."

88888888888888888888888

Ebony tapped her foot impatiently, her stomach growling painfully. There were murmurs amongst the death eaters and looks exchanged. Voldemort was never late for breakfast. Ebony wondered for a moment if Hermione had perhaps cornered him and asked for the wand. Hermione knew the reasons why it was necessary but Ebony had conveniently left out the last reason for the wand. It was true that she suspected Bellatrix and Lucius of hoping to get rid of Hermione but Ebony really wanted Hermione to have the wand so that she could get out of here.

The Death Eaters began to part like the Red Sea and Draco caught Ebony's eye across the room. He jerked his head to where the crowd was parting and Ebony stood on her toes to catch a glimpse at the seemingly amazing sight that was making everyone murmur. Voldemort had swept into the room, flanked on his side by Hermione. She was dressed different. That was the only word that Ebony could find to describe Hermione's attire. The brilliant blood dress robes that Hermione wore really complimented her fair skin tone and dark hair. Her hair had been coifed, most likely by Voldemort and she looked the picture of a powerful and beautiful woman.

Ebony was awed at the transformation even if she realized that she had to get Hermione out more than ever. She refused to allow her to become tainted by everything around them. "Would you look at the mudblood, she's trying to be one of us Lucius," the venomous voice of Bellatrix said.

"I can very well see that Bella. However, she will always be touched by the impurity of her blood. I cannot yet fathom why the Dark Lord would pick someone like _her_ to be his Dark Queen."

"Perhaps it is nothing but an illusion. She is highly intelligent and powerful. The Dark Lord has told me that she carries his child at this very moment."

"Then why would he go through with a wedding ceremony that would bind them together for life?" Bellatrix retorted, her displeasure clearly showed.

"You expect me to know the subtle intricacies of the Dark Lord's mind? He reveals his mind to none."

Ebony turned away from the bickering pair, knowing that that Voldemort married Hermione because he loved her. Of course that venomous pair would never think of such an absurd solution. The Dark Lord could never be in love for that was a trivial human affliction and he was supposed to be immortal, superhuman. However, he was still human and not any of those seemingly powerful qualities and he had picked a muggleborn girl as his love.

In a way Ebony had to find it ironic. He loathed muggles, muggleborns and half-bloods but now, now he loved a muggleborn. It was comical that he could make an exception to his rule for love. Ebony was startled from her thoughts when Ginny gently touched her arm, leading her to the table. Ebony and Ginny took their seat farther down the table from Hermione than they might have liked and watched the lesser death eaters file from the room. Ebony stared at Hermione for several minutes, willing her to look so that she would know if Hermione had gotten the wand.

Finally, Hermione, as if sensing the probing gaze, turned her eyes to Ebony. She didn't meet her eyes but nodded her nodded her head momentarily. Ebony smiled to herself and returned her eyes to her plate. The first step in her plan was complete and she was going to begin to move onto the second step. Perhaps Hermione really would escape after all.

88888888888888888

Hermione forced another polite smile as Lucius leaned into whisper to her. "Don't believe for one moment that the Dark Lord will ever love you, mudblood. You are but dirt beneath his feet. I'd wager a guess that he will dispose of you once you have given birth to his heir."

Hermione swallowed hard at the harsh impact of the words but tried valiantly to keep her composure. She could feel Voldemort's eyes upon her and she didn't wish for him to know that anything was amiss. "You're wrong," she whispered venomously back to Lucius once Voldemort looked away. "You'll be the one to be disposed of long before I am. Your arrogant belief that others are beneath you and that you are so superior might just be your downfall with my husband."

Lucius's face whitened at the intended threat met its mark. He turned from her and met the eyes of Bella, not far from himself. His eyes strayed to the large entrance foyer outside the dining hall and Bellatrix seemed to understand. Bellatrix rose abruptly from the table and begged leave of Voldemort. He complied immediately and Bellatrix swept from the room. Draco's eyes had followed the interaction and he locked eyes with Ginny. "Something is wrong," she whispered to Ebony.

Ebony pulled herself from her musing about her second step of her plan and looked suspiciously at Lucius as he looked to be biding his time for something or another. She signaled to Draco who suddenly stood and offered his arm to his mother. "Mother, would you do me the honor of walking in the gardens?"

"Of course Draco. Might we take our leave My Lord?"

"Yes, yes, and others may leave if you desire to go," Voldemort replied with an edge of impatience.

"I wish to take my leave also. I'm not feeling very well," Ginny declared, standing.

Others followed after her, including Lucius who got lost in the little crowd. Ebony stayed seated, refusing to allow Lucius and Bellatrix to become suspicious of her as they were wont to do. Hermione watched her friend stare off into space and get a glazed look. She wondered what it was that Ebony was thinking of but decided to save it for later when they had Occulmency lessons.

"Lucius was bothering you."

"Yes," Hermione replied.

"Hmm, I thought as much. You see he often gets an almost rabid look about him when he is angry and he was angry, I could tell. What did he say?"

The hurtful words Lucius had said rose to the surface but Hermione valiantly tried to take her mind away from them. She knew almost instinctively that Voldemort would be in a spitting rage if he discovered what it was that Lucius said and for some unknown reason, Hermione didn't wish for Lucius to be punished for this trivial reason. She supposed that it probably because she was so kind hearted. He had done terrible things and he deserved punishment but she was certain he would get it in some other form, one way or another.

"What did he say?" Voldemort repeated.

"Don't worry about it," Hermione laid her hand over his. "The words were not important and are best left in the past."

Voldemort regarded her suspiciously but only because he had noted her reaction to the words. Lucius was often noted for his venom and Voldemort refused to allow one of his servants to degrade his wife in any manner. He wanted respect to be acknowledged for his Dark Queen, even if she was a muggleborn.

Voldemort rose from his seat and offered his hand. Hermione took it and they left the dining hall. The entrance foyer was surprisingly deserted and the couple returned to their chambers without incident. Hermione collapsed upon one of the settees in the sitting room and pulled the pins from her hair without hesitation. Her curly hair tumbled down in freedom while Voldemort watched in fascination. He walked as if in a trance to the settee and sat next to her, drawing Hermione against his body. She went willingly and smiled as she was holding up her part of the bargain rather well.

Voldemort tangled his long graceful fingers into Hermione's large maze of curls. The hair was thin and delicate but unbelievably soft. He thought back to when he had heard her hair was a bushy mess. He couldn't exactly picture her that way anymore. Her hair was tamed if somewhat still frizzy. It suited her though. "Are you going to retrieve the Pensieve?"

Voldemort sighed and relinquished his hold upon Hermione's hair before disappearing into his bedroom. He reappeared moments later with a large stone bowl with swirling depths, much like Dumbledore's. He handed it to Hermione a bit reluctantly but knowing that he had to. "You do it" she whispered.

He pulled his wand out and pointed it at her forehead, whispering a few words. A small silvery thread emerged from her skull and Voldemort dropped it into the Pensieve. It swirled for a moment before showing the image it contained. Both stared at the familiar scene before Voldemort laid his cloak over it, shielding it from view. Hermione looked away, the images of the morning starting to come back to her.

"Hermione! Are you in there? I need to speak with you," Ginny called from the hall.

Hermione jumped from the settee in panic and Voldemort understood. He whisked the pensieve away to his room and Hermione went to open the door. Ginny stood outside, everything about her in disarray and her eyes over bright with tears. "What is it Ginny? What's wrong? Has something happened?"

"Come with me, please Hermione. Ebony needs to speak with you."

Hermione raced out the door after Ginny, and she couldn't even begin to discern exactly what could be wrong. No one would actually do anything right under the nose of Voldemort, would they? It seemed completely impossible to her.

When Hermione entered Ginny's chambers, she was surprised to find that no one was injured but sitting calmly on the settees. Ebony rose when Hermione entered and ushered her to sit. "I suspected after your "talk" with Lucius that he was angry. He signaled to Bellatrix to wait for him out in the hall and I had Draco and Ginny follow them out. It isn't good Hermione. I had suspected something grave and I was right to but it seems to me that it's going to be a large thing. They hate you Hermione, passionately. You have to get out of here."

Hermione regarded her coolly. "I'm not letting them drive me away, even if I could escape, which I cannot. I'm not a coward Ebony and I refuse to run. I'll just fight fire with fire."

"You have a wand now, which is good and will help in the Occulmency but," Ebony paused, trying to come up with a way to ask how Hermione got the wand without really coming out and doing just that.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I asked for it. I made a bargain to actually act like his wife and I got the wand," Hermione said, avoiding Ebony's eyes.

Ebony smiled at the explanation but Ginny frowned. Something was wrong and she knew it but obviously Ebony didn't. Hermione forced a smile and withdrew her wand. The one that had been taken from her those several months before. At least she believed it was months. Every day melted into the other in quick succession. She was fairly certain that Christmas would soon be upon them meaning that she had spent a good three or fourth months in the stronghold.

"Well, if this was all you had to inform me of, I must be off. I promised Voldemort that I would be in my rooms today."

Ebony nodded, thinking that this had to do with Hermione's end of the bargain but Ginny wasn't buying it. She had known Hermione for far too long to be snared by her lies. However, Ginny couldn't exactly fathom why Hermione was lying. It made absolutely no sense unless there was something that Hermione was concealing. Ginny nearly laughed at such a notion. Why would Hermione need to conceal anything? "I'll walk her back to the rooms," Ginny offered.

Draco came along too in the end and the walk was short and rather silent. Ginny couldn't get the idea of Hermione hiding something out of her mind while Hermione fretted about lying to her friends. It was necessary of course but that was completely beside the point. She had never been one to lie before and it hurt that she had to do it now.

Hermione hugged Ginny goodbye at the door to her chambers and Draco nodded his head. Hermione walked in to find Voldemort seated upon the settee reading a rather large tome of spells. She had known that he had been known for his intelligence in his Hogwarts days but the image of seeing him with a book startled her. Hermione supposed that that was because hearing and seeing were two completely different things.

"Are you ready?"

Hermione pulled her wand from her robes and a determined look came across her features. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Voldemort whipped out his own wand and they faced one another. Suddenly images of years past floated across Hermione's mind.

_"Hermione, dear what are you reading?"…"Hogwarts?"…"A magical school, I'm a witch!"_

_Hermione pulled out her mirror, clutching the paper tightly in her hand. "Penelope, look around corners with mirrors, it's a basilisk, that's what is petrifying everyone."…"AHHHH!" _

_"Vould you like to come to Bulgaria zhis summer? I have never felt zhis vay about anyvone before, Herm-own-ninny."… "I don't know Viktor, Bulgaria is a bit far."_

_"Of course you passed the N.E.W.Ts Hermione, and with perfect grades. It was expected," Ron said dramatically… "How can you say such a thing Ronald Weasley!"… "You're a dolt, mate."_

Hermione was breathing harshly, on all fours. Harry had told her of his experience but she hadn't really been ready for it. "Not bad Hermione."

Hermione smiled weakly because to her that was a very weak attempt. "Try again."

Voldemort obliged and Hermione cleared her mind, if somewhat briefly before memories surfaced like old waves of sorrow. Cedric's death. The death of her close cousin. Bill and Fleur's engagement party.

Hermione pushed him out of her mind and Voldemort fell backwards. He hit the wall with a thud and she cried out, running over to him. Voldemort cracked open an eye and rubbed his head. "Did you mean to push that hard?"

Hermione grinned sheepishly. "I didn't actually know that I could do that. I once took meditation because of stress. It helped quite a bit and I used that same sort of technique except I wasn't expecting what happened."

"It's fine. We'll have to practice more tomorrow. Remember tomorrow to make sure that they don't suspect these lessons. I would take these memories out too. Just to be on the safe side."

"I don't understand though why you want me to know Occulmency."

"It's quite simple really, Hermione. I know nearly everything, even what my servants might wish to conceal from me. I will adequately prepare you to deal with any obstacles in your way. I set books into your room, why don't you go read, I have some business that needs attention."

Hermione nodded and slipped into her room and the awaiting books about Ancient Runes and Potions. The books were very advanced, something that Hermione loved.

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Meanwhile out in the hall:

Ginny stopped Draco before they reached her chambers. "Did you notice something strange with Hermione?"

"She avoided Ebony's eyes. She's hiding something or she's lying."

"I know but neither make sense! What does she have to hide?"

"I dunno but there's something more to that bargain than acting like Voldemort's wife. She might have been telling the truth but maybe there's more to it Ginny."

"I don't think we should mention it to Ebony."

"Why not?"

Ginny took a deep breath. "She wants to get in contact with Dumbledore and arrange a way to get Hermione to the Order."

"Is she mad?"

" I dunno but there's so much going on. I feel like I'm suddenly being propelled towards this destination at lightning speed but I don't even know what it is."

"I feel the same way, Gin. The Final Battle is probably coming."

"I'm worried about Hermione."

"You're worried she'll fall under Voldemort."

"No, I dunno. I get this dread in my heart sometimes. Like something horrible is going to happen to her."

Draco put an arm around her and held her close to him. "Don't worry Gin, everything will be fine."

How wrong he was.


	17. Revelations

**A/N: **I hope this clears up a few of the questions regarding Hermione's end of the bargain. It is a little confusing but everything will be fine in about one or two chapters. And Voldemort does know that Hermione is pregnant because he's Voldemort and he saw the book with the prophesy. It's self-fulfilling. Hope that answers some questions!

**Chapter 17**

Hermione opened her eyes to darkness. Her brow furrowed as she tried to work out why she had awoken. It wasn't in her nature to generally wake during the night but as she listened, there didn't seem to be anything that could have startled her. She sighed and pushed back the many folds of blankets, pulling herself from the cocoon. The floor was cool beneath her feet, succumbing to the frostiness of the November air. Hermione groped for her wand on the bedside table and pointed it at the fireplace.

A warm fire ignited there, throwing a bit of warmth about the room. Hermione padded to her closet and retrieved a robe before she exited her room. A few candles were still burning in the sitting room but to her amazement, light freely flooded from the library. Hermione crept closer, curious as to why light would be so abundant in there when clearly there was no light beneath Voldemort's bedroom door. She stopped in the doorway to the library, yet again mesmerized by the sheer number of volumes that the library seemed to hold.

Yet, her gaze was drawn the heavy, mahogany table littered with books and various bits of parchment, some rolling off the surface. And the man asleep in the chair before it. Hermione again found it striking how his face relaxed from the hard lines usually displayed there and how angelic he seemed to look. Her curiosity compelled her to walk to the desk, to discover exactly what had kept Voldemort awake. One of the parchments rolling from the desk began to pool at her feet. She bent down to retrieve it when her name caught her eyes.

_"Home in Devonshire… Hermione will be… attack against… know prophesy… Ebony…"_

Hermione bent forward to examine it more closely when an iron grip closed over her hand. "What are you doing?"

Hermione met the dark, heavy lidded gaze of Voldemort. "Nothing," she lied.

He quirked a brow but withdrew his hand from her own, taking the parchment from her. "This doesn't concern you. Now, what are you doing in here?"

"I saw a light on in here and I wondered why. Why are you in here at this time anyways?"

Voldemort was silent for a few minutes, busy putting away parchment and books from her inquisitive eyes. "I have work to do Hermione."

"I can see that, but why? And why is my name on that parchment?"

"I already told you that it doesn't concern you," he replied as he rose from his chair.

Hermione planted her hands on her hips. "It most certainly does concern me. Anything with my name involves does concern me."

Voldemort sighed heavily. "You're not going to give up are you?"

"No, and I want to know why Ebony's name is on there also."

"That most certainly is none of your concern," Voldemort said, his previously light tone turning to steel.

"She is my friend."

"And my daughter. It doesn't concern you and that is the end of it."

"There's going to be an attack, isn't there," Hermione asked, remembering the words about an attack.

"Perhaps but don't worry over it."

"Is Ebony involved? Am I involved?"

Voldemort turned to face her with exasperated look. "It is nothing but there could be an attack. I'll not tell you anymore but to remember what I told you when we made that deal for the wand."

Voldemort left Hermione standing in the library as his words about Ebony came back to her. _"She would do anything for you Hermione. She would even betray your trust to keep you safe." _He knew that Ebony worked for the Order, he had known it all along but he didn't do a thing about it. Hermione wanted to believe it was a bit of sentimentality as she was his daughter or maybe there was something else. But Hermione was discomforted by Voldemort bringing those words back to her because she could make nothing of them. She knew for some reason he was trying to tell her something but what it was, she didn't know.

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Hermione looked up from her book to find Voldemort hovering in front of her. "Ginevra is here to see you."

She immediately could tell that it wasn't good from his expression. "I suppose I'll take her to my room then."

He nodded his head but his eyes didn't leave hers. "Is there something you wished to tell me?"

"She knows."

Hermione knew exactly what he was talking about. Yet she really couldn't understand _how _Ginny knew. She hadn't betrayed herself at all! "What should I do?"

Voldemort eyed her with a thoughtful expression. "That, my dear, is for you to decide."

Hermione threw up her hands. "Should I tell her the truth?"

"She knows you too well and that is exactly why she knew you were lying in the first place. Do you really believe that you could lie to her now?"

Hermione shook her head. "Unfortunately I'm not as clever a liar as I believed."

Voldemort's lips quirked teasingly up, as if he was about to smile. "You could never lie to me, dearest," he said, brushing his fingers over her cheek.

Hermione struggled against her body, refusing herself to respond to him. She had known when she had made her bargain with the Devil that she would spend quite a bit of time with him. But she hadn't expected to realize that he very different from anything she had ever been told. It didn't help that when he touched her, she felt as if flames would engulf her.

Voldemort brushed a teasing kiss against her forehead before he rose. "Your resistance will do no good my dear," he called before the library door shut.

Hermione let out a shuddering breath before she went to the hallway door. Ginny stood there, still patiently waiting. Hermione greeted Ginny warmly, half expecting her observant friend to note how flustered she was. Ginny's eyes bore in Hermione's but she didn't say a word. Hermione led Ginny to her bedroom and seated her on the settee before she called for the little house elf, Kaly.

She was a sweet little thing and really seemed taken with Hermione. Hermione had discovered the little house elf had been assigned to take care of her, a fact she realized only the day after the wand pact with Voldemort. Hermione had become more acquainted with the little elf over the last few days and although Hermione desperately wanted to give the little darling clothes, she knew it would be fruitless.

Kaly immediately brought the tea and Hermione and Ginny sat in relative silence, sipping away. However, Hermione's seemingly good luck immediately ran out. Ginny set down her tea and turned to address Hermione. "Why did you lie?"

Hermione took another sip of her tea, trying to collect her thoughts as she did so. She knew why she had lied but she wasn't exactly sure how she would go about explaining that. _"Oh yes, Ginny, you see I made this deal with Voldemort and it involved lying to my own friends for my own good!"_

Hermione couldn't exactly see that going well for Ginny. She also couldn't tell her that because she didn't understand it herself. Her friends would never hurt her, would they? She was reminded again of Voldemort's remark of Ebony but she firmly squashed that thought. Ebony would never betray her, would she? Hermione refused to acknowledge that the seed of doubt had already been planted. That was one of the reasons she had lied in the first place. Voldemort had also instructed her to do so. He feared the duplicity of Draco because he couldn't read him and he refused to allow Lucius to know anything of importance.

"I had to lie," Hermione finally replied.

Ginny's eyebrows raised disbelievingly. "You had to? No one made you lie, Hermione."

"It was part of the deal I made with Voldemort."

"He told you to lie to your friends. Why?"

Hermione put her tea cup down also. "He can't read Draco, Ginny. I believe that he wanted to be sure that bargain for a wand didn't reach Lucius's ears. I think he knows how dangerous Lucius is to me."

"Then why doesn't he just rid himself of the pompous git?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ginny, unfortunately, even I must admit that Lucius is powerful in his own right, one of the reasons that he is so dangerous to me. He and Bellatrix are some of Voldemort's most loyal and powerful supporters. He isn't going to get rid of people like that."

"Oh right, I forgot this is Voldemort we are talking about. He only cares about power and ruling the world over his own wife. Who is pregnant I might add."

Hermione was silent. Did he really care so little about her? _"Why do you care?" _another part of her whispered. _"Because he is my husband."_

_"Of course dearie but you didn't care before."_

Hermione shook away the voice. She only cared because she was carrying their child and she wanted Voldemort to care for her/him. Right? Ginny pulled her from her musings.

"So what was in this deal you made?"

"I can't tell you."

"You mean you won't tell me," Ginny said, her voice reflecting her restrained anger.

"No, I can't tell you," Hermione replied, lifting the necklace she wore at her neck to reveal one white scar.

Ginny's eyes widened as she almost seemed to realize what it was. "You didn't," she breathed.

"I did. Voldemort gave me the necklace to hide the scar though."

"Dear God Hermione, why would you do such a thing?"

"I did it to protect myself, Ginny and I really don't regret it, especially since I have a wand."

Ginny drew away from her. "Why is everything about the wand? Did you even know what you were getting into when you made the bond?"

"Yes, I did. And I did of my own free will. Voldemort merely suggested it but didn't demand it like you might want to think."

Ginny stared at her appalled. "I can't believe you would do that! It just isn't you, what happened to the Hermione I once knew, hmm?"

Ginny stormed from the room, leaving Hermione to stare in the flames. "I changed," she softly said to the empty room.

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Hermione dreaded the Occulmency lessons she was about to endure with Ebony, Draco and…Ginny. Voldemort had known when he had looked at her and had given her a pitying glance. It hurt that her best girlfriend had stormed from the room, angry that Hermione had made a stupid bond with Voldemort. Hermione loathed that Ginny was right that the old Hermione would never have made such a vow.

Then again, Hermione also reasoned that old Hermione would never have married Voldemort, never have been caught by the infuriating man and she certainly would never have gotten pregnant by the same infuriating man. Hermione had changed but only because she had had to. Hermione told herself that she wasn't going to stand around and hope that someone would protect her. That had gotten her captured. No, she was looking out for herself and if she had to go to enormous lengths to do so, then so be it.

"You do know, lovely, that putting off going to Ginevra's chambers won't stop the inevitable," Voldemort's amused voice said over his book.

Hermione shot him a glare before she grudgingly rose. "I suppose you're right."

"Of course I am, I'm always right."

"Right. But what about the Occulmency we did?"

"You did well one time. Generally that happens. I did the same when I first began before I fell back into the tedious role of getting nowhere. The first time someone of power is generally subjected to the invasion, they can push the person out but then afterwards they have to work up and build the skill like everyone else."

"Why can they do it in the first place though?"

"Hmm, I'm not really sure but I'd wager the guess that it has something to do with the fact that powerful people are more sensitive to the invasion of their mind and therefore very logical that they would be able to culminate their power to push the person from their mind. Then afterwards, the feeling isn't so knew so they have to work to hone the skill like every other person."

Hermione furrowed her brow. "But why would powerful people be more sensitive?"

"They're more developed in their magic than others. They have a deeper understanding of magic and they are therefore more sensitive to it. Take for example that many powerful wizards can detect magic in the air "

"Hmm, I never thought of that before."

"You can contemplate it later after you've returned from you Occulmency lesson."

Hermione cursed Voldemort for being utterly too observant and reluctantly left for Ginny's chambers. She paused outside the door to listen to the voices inside.

"She made a vow with Voldemort."

"You mean _that _vow? But why?"

"She said something about protecting herself and about the wand of course. Yet she did say that Voldemort didn't force her into it."

"Is she betraying us?" Draco's furious voice demanded.

"No but Voldemort is having an influence on her. She needs to get out before it's too late."

Hermione drew away from the door in shock. How dare her friends presume to believe that Voldemort was having any influence on her! And they believed that she needed to get away. How dare they make decisions for her. Hermione drew herself up and thrust the door open, pretending that she hadn't heard the previous conversation.

Any conversation that the three were having stopped immediately and they greeted her with smiles. Well, except for Ginny. Hermione pointedly avoided meeting Ebony's eyes and instead settled for looking about the room. It had been transformed into a dueling arena of sorts with plenty of cushions in case of falls so no one would be hurt.

Draco cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the room. Hermione glanced at him briefly and only at his chest. "Do you hate me so much you can't look at me?" he goaded.

Hermione briefly let her eyes flit across his face, careful not to catch his gaze. She knew what she was trying to do and now that she knew he was an accomplished Occlumens, it was reasonable to assume that he was also skilled in Legilimency. "Today," Ebony's calm voice cut through the silence, "we're going to be working on dueling. Ginny will be with me and Draco with Hermione."

Hermione drew her wand and turned to face Draco. She stared at his forehead as they faced one another. Suddenly an orange light shot at Hermione. She quickly conjured a shield then returned the volley. She leapt out of the way of the next spell he threw before sending another spell.

This time the spell hit its target and Draco looked temporarily dazed. He suddenly shook his head, throwing off the curse. "What was that Granger!"

"My name isn't Granger anymore Draco."

Draco stalked towards her. "I really didn't find that amusing and I wouldn't do it again if I were you."

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a promise," he hissed in her ear.

Hermione drew away from him angrily. Ebony and Ginny had stopped dueling and came over to the glaring pair. "I do believe that I have to be back in my chambers," Hermione said, hoping that they didn't ask for a reason.

Ebony eyed her suspiciously but nodded. "Of course, I wouldn't want to keep you."

Hermione smiled gratefully, hardly sparing a glance for Draco and Ginny. She could feel their burning gazes on her back. She calmly walked from the room before she broke into a run, already feeling the hot tears threatening to spill over. Hermione rushed into her chambers and collapsed on the settee in the sitting room. She hardly noticed that Voldemort sat on the other settee or when he knelt beside her.

"What is it?" he asked.

Hermione lifted her tear stained face, startled that he was there. "It's everything. Draco, Ginny, Ebony. My vow with you. My entire life."

"What happened?"

"They presume to think that they can dictate my life and Draco even threatened me after I temporarily blinded him. Ginny practically hates me for my vow with you and Ebony is suspicious. I have no one!"

Voldemort pulled her into his arms, cradling her against his chest. "You have me."


	18. A Dangerous Situation

**Chapter 18**

Hermione stayed in her room for several days, even refusing to speak with Voldemort. She felt as if a part of her had been ripped out with her exclusion from her friends. Ginny had always been her friend and now they weren't speaking. She was alone now in this cavernous mansion and it frightened her.

"Hermione?"

Hermione jumped at the soft sound of Ebony's voice. "Yes," Hermione answered in a cracked voice.

"Could you let me in? I want to speak with you?"

"Why should I? Are you going to hate me too because of one decision that I made which would ultimately protect me?"

"Hermione just let me in. Please, I'm not going to judge you."

Hermione grudgingly unlocked the charms on the door and opened it. Ebony glided in the room and looked around. It was a mess and Hermione didn't look much better. "What have you done to yourself?"

"Nothing."

Ebony grabbed Hermione's shoulders and forced her to look at her. "Look at me, Hermione, Ginny and Draco may not be speaking to you but that is no reason to fall to pieces. Remember that Lucius and Bellatrix are watching and falling to pieces will get you nowhere. It will only put ammunition to use against you into their hands."

Hermione pulled away roughly. "Have you ever had your best friend look at you like she was disgusted or had her glare at you? Do you know how much that hurts?"

"Yes, I have Hermione and although I have seen her since our misunderstanding at Hogwarts, our once close friendship will never be the same. Except my case is different from yours. Ginny will forgive you in time but she needs to time to understand why you took such a vow. It even puzzles me but if you say that you did it to protect yourself then I will accept that."

"Then why can't Ginny understand that? Or Draco? He's supposed to be a Slytherin, he's supposed to be self-serving but he doesn't even understand the need for me to protect myself."

Ebony sighed. "It's more complicated than that. He grew up surrounded by Dark magic and he always had a grasp of complicated magic. He knows what the vow involved and I think it worries him. He isn't so much angry with you as worried."

"Then why would he tell me that I shouldn't temporarily blind him anymore."

Ebony frowned. "You did that? You do know that with repeated use, it can actually turn the victim blind."

Hermione's jaw fell open. "That wasn't mentioned in the book I read about the spell!"

"Sometimes you have to tread carefully regarding some spells and it is usually best to cross-reference a dangerous spell before you use it. Why didn't you do that though, I would have thought you'd do that?"

"I found the book in Voldemort's library. I feel horrible now. I didn't realize that I could blind him permanently with that spell! What he must think of me."

"Hermione, why did you take that vow? I would have understood an Unbreakable Vow but the Eternal Vow?"

"I-"

The door opened behind them and Hermione spun to see Voldemort in the doorway. "Are you coming to dinner?"

Hermione nodded her head, resolving to put on a brave front. Voldemort observed her complete state of disarray with amusement before she shot him a dirty look. "I suppose I'll leave Ebony to help you clean up then," he said before leaving.

"You can go on Ebony, I can do it myself. It might make me feel better."

Ebony gave her a warm smile and a hug before she departed. Hermione sighed to herself and went to find some dress robes. When she stepped into her bathroom and looked in the mirror, she was horrified by the _thing_ staring back at her. She knew that she had been neglecting herself for the last few days but that was just plain scary.

Hermione turned the shower on and stepped in. The sorrows of the last few days seemed to wash away and she was grateful for that. Hermione dried her hair with her wand and then washed her face before slipping into her blue dress robes. She contemplated her hair for a few moments and fruitlessly tried to arrange it herself. After several minutes of struggling, Hermione gave up and called for Kaly. She felt a bit guilty to make the poor thing do her hair but Hermione didn't feel like going to ask Ebony. Besides Ginny might be with Ebony and Hermione didn't want a confrontation.

"Could you do my hair?"

"Of course Mistress, anything for you," the overexcited elf clapped its hands.

Hermione sat down on her vanity stool and Kaly critically surveyed her hair. "You have beautiful hair Mistress."

"Thank you Kaly, but my hair is a monster. It was really sweet though."

Kaly snapped her fingers and Hermione hair began to arrange itself into an elaborate updo that showcased her curly hair. "I love it Kaly, thank you."

The elf beamed beneath the praise and disappeared with a crack. Hermione continued to examine her hair and failed to hear the door open. "You look beautiful," Voldemort said, placing a kiss on her neck.

Hermione turned, startled at his voice. "Thank you, you uh, look good too."

Voldemort smirked at her comment and pulled her from the stool. "Come, or we'll be late."

Hermione took the arm Voldemort offered and they walked to the Dining hall. The large din of voices abruptly stopped as they entered. Many stared in awe at the necklace crowning her neck. Hermione self-consciously touched the diamond stones against her throat almost fearing that they had disappeared and everyone could see the scar on her neck. Voldemort gracefully seated Hermione before doing the same. Everyone else took their seats and the house elves came out.

Hermione felt sorry for the poor dears. She really couldn't help it. Although she knew in her heart that SPEW would never work because the house elves somehow enjoyed what they did, she still felt that pity because they didn't know any better. Of course it didn't help, in her mind, that many of the pureblooded families abused their house elves. She smiled at the house elf who served her but they quickly scurried away.

Hermione frowned and turned to see Ginny watching her. When Ginny realized that Hermione was staring at her, she quickly glared and looked away. Hermione sighed and looked down at her plate. She tried to concentrate on her dinner but her stomach seemed to want to reject the food. Finally, she gave up and set down her fork.

Hermione lifted her head and immediately sensed eyes boring into her. She turned to the right and caught the black gaze of Bellatrix. Bellatrix raised a thin brow in mocking before blowing her a kiss. Hermione turned her face away with a gulp. Voldemort reached out and laid his hand over hers as he continued his conversation with Lucius. Strangely enough, she seemed to find comfort in his warm hand and it scared her a little.

Hermione tried to listen to the conversation that Lucius and Voldemort were conducting but she quickly gave up, realizing that neither obviously wanted her to know. She turned her face to listen to Narcissa instead. She was conveying to Mrs. Parkinson, Hermione guessed, about her new design for the Malfoy ballroom. Hermione quickly lost interest, however, when Narcissa began to describe the settee cushions and she looked around trying to find some other meaning of diverting herself.

Voldemort abruptly stood, pulling Hermione up beside him. Everyone took their cue to leave and Voldemort and Hermione were left alone. "Is something wrong?" she asked, looking at the worry lines etched on his face.

"I have to leave you Hermione. I must go to my other home and take care of some business. Will you be alright by yourself?"

"Of course, I am very capable of taking care of myself. Go, don't worry about me."

Voldemort reluctantly pulled his hand from hers and apparated away. Hermione stared at where he had been for a moment longer before she left the Dining Hall. The entrance hall was deserted but something just didn't feel right to her. Hermione quickened her steps and just as she reached for the stair railing, she heard it. It was the soft clicking of high heels on the tiled flooring. "Is the wittle mud-blood all alone?" Bellatrix's mocking voice called.

Chills ran down Hermione's skin but she turned to face Bellatrix anyways. "Was there something you wanted?"

Bellatrix contemptuously surveyed Hermione. "Why did he pick you? There is nothing even remotely wonderful about you. You're a mud blood for Merlin's sake."

"Why my husband married me is none of your business," Hermione replied coldly, trying to insert some venom into her voice.

Bellatrix was before her in a flash, her dark eyes glittering maliciously. "Why do you wear this necklace, hmm? I've never seen it before," Bellatrix fingered the necklace almost lovingly before she ripped it off Hermione's neck.

Hermione tried to cover the scar with her hands but Bellatrix was faster and grabbed Hermione's wrists painfully. She bent forward and examined the scar, before quickly dropping Hermione's hands, as if burned. Hermione looked down at her wrists, already seeing the bruises start to ring them when she heard that familiar spell Harry had told her about.

Hermione grasped the railing, feeling the blood begin to spurt from her chest. Bellatrix grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and pushed her into an alcove. "No one will see you die, mudblood."

Hermione drew her hand away from her neck and stared at the warm blood on it. She reached for her wand as she tried to take an assessment of the damage done. A large gash marred her fair chest and blood poured from the wound, staining her dress robes. Her vision began to dim as she frantically grapsed for her wand.

She heard the footsteps of someone on the stairs and she paused for a moment. But it was a moment she wasn't afforded. Hermione's vision went black and she slumped to the floor, briefly hearing her name shouted by Ginny.


End file.
